PrivacyFirstSep 20, 2025
nixCraft 🐧
Flathub is the central repo (more like app store for Linux) for Flatpak packages. It is a system for distributing desktop app that can run on almost any Linux distro. Here is the Flathub popularity by country. Image credit Reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/1nle38v/flathub_popularity_by_country/#lightbox
Sep 20, 2025 at 12:26pmWeb
Show thread🦃 Kat Callahan  🦃Sep 20, 2025

@nixCraft

Catholic Church uses Linux?!

Show threadHumphrey CatgartSep 20, 2025
@nixCraft @jezebelkat
Some this
https://distrowatch.com/table-mobile.php?distribution=miracle
some that
https://distrowatch.com/table-mobile.php?distribution=predator
DistroWatch.com: MIRACLE LINUX

News and feature lists of Linux and BSD distributions.

Show threadnixCraft 🐧Sep 20, 2025
@jezebelkat why not? everyone uses Linux one way or another (e.g. wifi router or android phone/tablet/tv). I don't see any reason not to use it. It is free and high quality software for desktop too
Show thread🦃 Kat Callahan  🦃Sep 20, 2025

@nixCraft

I was not serious. I use Linux. I am Catholic. It's funny.

Show threadnixCraft 🐧Sep 20, 2025
@jezebelkat no issues. I understand. Don’t worry about it
Show threadChildless Bambino Sep 20, 2025
@jezebelkat @nixCraft temple OS
Show threadAsh_CrowSep 20, 2025
@kendricklmao8 @jezebelkat @nixCraft pretty sure the Vatican wouldn't use a distro so heavily linked to a sedevacantist "cybersect" (per their own terms)
Show threadchollingSep 20, 2025
@jezebelkat @nixCraft I will say that the outsized numbers for Vatican City are probably mostly due to its extremely small population. One or two power users could easily skew the per-person downloads.
Show thread🦃 Kat Callahan  🦃Sep 20, 2025

...folks, I wasn't actually serious.

I'm a (non-practicing for the most part) Catholic. So it amused me.

I understand sample size 🙃

Show threadMark GardnerSep 20, 2025
@nixCraft Notably, #Flatpak is the only officially-supported software installation system for #SteamDeck in desktop #Linux mode. Software installed by other means might not remain after a Valve-pushed operating system update.
Show threadJonas KöritzSep 20, 2025
@mjg @nixCraft so the Pope got a Steamdeck? 😁
Show threadMark GardnerSep 20, 2025
@jonas @nixCraft His screen name is xX_P0nt1f3x_Xx
Show threadHenriSep 20, 2025
@mjg @nixCraft you can also install software from Nix or Distrobox and it won’t be deleted, maybe something else too
Show threadMark GardnerSep 20, 2025

@slyecho Is that so? Valve’s FAQ says, “[A]nything you install outside of flatpak (via pacman for instance) may be wiped with the next SteamOS update.”

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/671A-4453-E8D2-323C

I’d love for there to be more options; I just don’t want my customizations blown away.

/ @nixCraft

Steam Support :: Steam Deck Desktop: FAQ

Show threadHenriSep 20, 2025
@mjg if it’s mounted to the home partition (like /nix is) or is actually in you home (like Podman containers) then it will not be wiped
Show threadMatteꙮ ItaliaSep 20, 2025
@nixCraft 12 downloads per person vs 4 for Germany... Seems like father/son/holy spirit are correctly counted as one, but they have three sets of separate PCs.
Show threadAngelo MassaroSep 20, 2025
@nixCraft I think there might be an arch-bishop using it in the Vatican
Show threadDougMerritt (log😅 = 💧log😄)Sep 20, 2025
@nixCraft
Good old Vatican, always on the cutting edge of Linux!
Show threadExpired TokenSep 20, 2025
@nixCraft It is worth noting that Flathub, like Snapcraft, AUR and PPAs, are _not_ actively vetted and that anything, including malware, can be published on them. In contrast, your old fashioned official deb repos have control over what is delivered.
Not saying these software sources are not useful, but be aware of the immense trust caveat.
Show threadpiotrekSep 20, 2025
@expiredtoken @nixCraft true, but on the other hand, Flatpak gives you quite good control over what an app can and cannot access. You can remove any permission at any time.
Show threadExpired TokenSep 21, 2025
@piotrek @nixCraft That's true! I want both trust of source for the software, and easy to use constrain framework. With this respect, AppArmor is not easy, maybe Flatpak is more manageable.
Show threadKlaus FrankSep 20, 2025

@nixCraft
And it runs shitily on all of them. Flathub packages have the stupidest of bugs all of the time.

Like one app asking you to select your texteditor application to open a file with but you can't find it in the filesystem cause that app doesn't see that path in the filesystem.

Or it showing Gnome GUI instead of KDE GUI because it was packaged only with the GNOME ones.

Or it having been packaged with a vulnerable library version even though the one on the system has been patched...

Show threadbananas_pizzaSep 20, 2025

@agowa338 @nixCraft if developers packaged their software in this way, then it is what it is. They are not paid apps and developers make their software mostly in their free time.

Ah and about the first issue, you can change flatpak permission to allow it to access your home directory, so your apps can open whatever file in the home directory you want.

Show threadKlaus FrankSep 20, 2025

@alihan_banan @nixCraft

Doesn't help when App A wants to open a file with App B (or better prompts the user to select an App B for opening that file with) when App B is in /usr/bin and that flatpack overlays it and hides that app...

Point being Flatpacks are just a huge waste of time. Literally everything I tried to install via flatpack I later had to reinstall from the repos because of poor integration.

Also default permissions are a joke...

Show threadbananas_pizzaSep 20, 2025
@agowa338 @nixCraft so you want flatpak app that runs using its own runtime to integrate with an app installed from the repo? I can install telegram or mastodon client from flatpak, try to open the document or video in the player or document viewer that is installed from the repo and it works. Idk what are you on about
Show threadKlaus FrankSep 20, 2025

@alihan_banan @nixCraft

I want it to just work properly without stupid bugs. Basically I want it to work as promised. Because the way they are is just annoying...

The example I'm talking about is e.g. FreeCAD in a flatpack and then you try to open a text file within the project and then it fails to open the file as it can't find kwrite to open it...

Or the GUI just visually not fitting in as it is packaged using the gnome libraries instead of the KDE ones...

Show threadbananas_pizzaSep 20, 2025
@agowa338 @nixCraft most likely my usage scenarios are not like yours because i haven't seen any bugs since the day one bugs with audio on fedora 42, so idk what bugs you are referring to
Show threadbananas_pizzaSep 20, 2025
@nixCraft and people can host their own flathub instances, like fedora flatpak