Ok we’re talking at cross purposes.

Yes, mullvad has a noble repo, it doesnt have a xia repo (which is the mint equivalent version name)

Attempting to add the mullvad repo using the old ubuntu instructions failed because noble =/= xia

Yes you can work around that but its not beginner level.

Op asked if Flatpaks was the answer whivh imho it isnt, the best answer is downloading the .deb

Really sorry, it’s too long ago to remember the exact error,

but IIRC

when you followed the ubuntu instructions for adding the repository it would kick an error because the command included a reference to noble and mint os name is xia so the contents of the osrelease when checked didnt match and it threw an error.

Could be wrong, I didnt document it.

The work around was to edit the commands.

All a moot point now as

a) the instructions now on the mullvad site don’t reference noble and

b) mullvad now appears to be in the mint store (which is how you should always install if possible

Not correct, only true if you’ve manually added the repo

Further to this, mullvad vpn and browser are now in the Mint store.

Download and install from there

EDIT

Apols, they’re not, I checked on the machine I had faffed around with to get the mullvad repo working. Please ignore

It’s reasonable advice. Mullvad is literally the only time I’ve found the ubuntu instructions to not work on mint

Where does mullvad say it’s not meant to be used on Mint ? I literally have it running on 5 mint devices.

Can’t see that on their website at a quick search

Saying it is not supported is not the same as not meant to be used

In fact to the contrary this references install for mint

https://mullvad.net/en/help/install-mullvad-app-linux

Got to the section that says

“Download and install the app”

For a command line explanation

Honestly though just download the .deb and double click on it out of the folder to get debi to install. It’s all gui and easy

Doesn’t always work - for example the mullvad browser won’t install on mint with the ubuntu instructions as OS version gets reported as Xia not noble (if I’m recalling the issue correctly it was 6-9 months ago)

Yes you can amend the commands to get it to work but it’s definitely not beginner level, I had to faff around for an hour or so before I worked it out

For mullvad vpn the client will tell you when there’s an update available by a very obvious flag in the app that you click on to download it then click/double click on the file out of the downloads to get debi to install it.

To answer the broader question, where ever possible install apps via software manager, that way they are updated with apt / update manager.

I would suggest using flatpacks sparingly as they are disk hogs.

Great advice.

Btw you don’t need -S to install a package, just

paru packagename

Works fine

Insert surprised pickachu face here

Well that’s out of character for Google

Yep this is exactly why I refuse to do the scan as you go, it ends up seriously frustrating. Self scan at checkout is fine if you don’t have paracetamol or alcohol, otherwise you’re waiting ages for assistance.

It’s definitely an overall worse experience

Mullvad works fine on both LMDE and stock mint fwiw

Although wikipedia has that as the origin several other internet sources suggested a pagan pre christian origin

https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/fascinating-origins-of-everyday-hand-gestures

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55702/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-good-luck

https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-luck/p06j436j

Noting that these are not proper sources although mental floss links to a text that may be reliable

Which one though ? There’s literally 4 forks of infinity called Eternity coming up on obtainium

Jerboa is on Fdroid, but it’s not good I’m afraid. The keyboard bug is maddening.

True we say 15th September, not 15 September

Ubuntu is derived from Debian.

In linux there are 3 “popular” parent trees (plus a couple more obscure ones)

Debian tree, RedHat tree and Arch tree.

Debian is “parent” to Ubuntu is parent to Mint (standard versions)

LMDE applies Cinnamon and Mint tools to Debian.

Think Gaetz & Marjorie Taylor Greene. That’s pretty much our entire government now all the sensible people have been drummed out.

Don’t let logic or facts get in the way of a good grandstanding.

They didnt know it wasn’t going to work because they refuaed to listen to anyone trying to tell them it wouldn’t work

As no seems to have answered this, the EU’s political structure is more resistant to the anti-consumer desires of large corporates, particularly as the ones impacted aren’t European.

Culturally the EU is diverse but broadly there is a lot more interest in / support for nurturing the common good (as opposed to beggar thy neighbour policies of the GOP). In particular pro-consumer policies are popular and get politicians re-elected, which segues to the next difference

The EU is less influenced (not zero, less) by political donations from large corporates than the US. Very little of the priorities of the average person makes it into law in the US, a slightly larger sliver gets through in the EU.

All of the ICE have this too. It’s not just EVs.

It’s a library file something to do with 32bit support iirc.

Can’t recall anymore than that but either here or reddit had details