Does Ubuntu Mate (software boutique) include 3rd party PPA's?

Support & Help Requests
1

Ubuntu Mate Software Boutique has software not available on regular Ubuntu repositories (Google Chrome, App Grid, Skype).

According to here:
"They are usually PPAs from developers."

However when I check PPA's it does not list any third party, only archive.ubuntu and archive.canonical. I used these commands:

grep ^ /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*
egrep -v '^#|^ *$' /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*
  1. If Ubuntu Mate does include 3rd party software sources, how can I see them?
  2. If it does not include 3rd party software sources, how am I able to install apps like Google Chrome, App Grid, and Skype from Software Boutique?
2

Possibly you have not yet updated the welcome center?

welcomeScr.png711×515 226 KB

Which is
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu-mate-dev-ubuntu-welcome-xenial.list

On a side note we have a newer tool that you may not know about.
Code:
inxi -r
and/or
man inxi

3

Here’s the output from my search…

ls -l /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
total 24
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  68 Jun  3 09:39 google-chrome.list
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  68 Jun  3 09:39 google-chrome.list.save
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 111 Jun  8 10:12 libdvdcss2.list
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 132 Jun  3 09:39 libreoffice-ubuntu-ppa-xenial.list
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 148 Jun  3 09:39 ubuntu-mate-dev-ubuntu-welcome-xenial.list
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 148 Jun  3 09:39 ubuntu-mate-dev-ubuntu-welcome-xenial.list.save
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   0 Apr 30 10:12 virtualbox.list
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   0 Apr 30 10:12 virtualbox.list.save
4

Thank you for your replies! I should have mentioned that I do not want to add any 3rd party PPA’s.

Am I right to assume that no 3rd party PPA’s will be added to Ubuntu Mate as long as I don’t subscribe or install any 3rd party software?

I am wondering how the Software Boutique is able to display these 3rd party apps in the first place if I don’t have the PPA’s installed.

5

If nothing appears in /sources.list.d/ then you are ppa free :slight_smile:

I do not know the mechanics of the software boutique and one of the first things I do is update it. You say they appear, but I would think that they could not install when clicked on. @lah7 is the brains behind this :slight_smile:

1 Like
6

As far as I know Software Boutique keeps its own list which references the PPAs, but they are only added to apt as needed (i.e. if you actually decide to install software or updates from the SB that come from a PPA).

7

Each application tells you where its getting its source from. Click the "More" (Details) button for each application.

In future, this will expand to snap packages, and even web applications. :slight_smile:

Examples

Flash Player

Any flexiondotorg repositories are @Wimpy's.

Chromium

Many software are from the Ubuntu repository in general.

Skype

Google Chrome

Uses Google's official repository.

LibreOffice

This is pre-installed, and uses Ubuntu's repository. There is an optional "Upgrade" button which adds LibreOffice's official PPA containing new versions of software.

Rest assured, all external sources are trusted and have been tested to ensure it works before the application is added to the Boutique.

As @anon42388993 points out, it's important to keep Welcome up-to-date (which adds its own repository) so that any source changes are immediately updated.

To answer your questions:

  1. You can manage third party repositories from Software & Updates (under System → Administration). If you remove software from the Boutique, it will remove its PPA/source too, if applicable.

  2. Boutique does include third party sources, and these are explicitly stated for each application. Boutique adds its source before installing (if applicable). It's the equivalent of somebody adding them using the terminal.

8

What is very important if you want "non-free" software is that you activate the "Canonical Partners" repo's in Software & Updates > Other Software otherwise you cannot install Skype from the Ubuntu repo!.

See the Update guide for further info:

9

Or in the case of the Software Boutique, this is enabled automatically. :thumbsup:

2 Likes
10

Thank you everyone for such detailed answers! I am very glad to learn that Software Boutique does not add PPA’s unless if I install something that requires one!

2 Likes
11

Is it really, I did not know that!. :smiley: Thanks for the info Luke. :thumbsup:

1 Like