You could install it using flatpak, this way the package could be updated with flatpak upgrade (like in the template rc.local so it’s running every time the template updates) instead of remembering you need to download the .deb and from where and basically go through the install steps again. The Zoom flatpak package isn’t official though, but it seems well maintained Install Zoom on Linux | Flathub
I uninstalled zoom and used x to remove unused packages (i.e. zoom dependencies):
sudoapt-get autoremove && sudoapt-get autoclean
I then tried installing zoom the way you suggested, and it failed:
user@debian-12-xfce:~/QubesIncoming/public$ sudo dpkg -i zoom_amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package zoom.
(Reading database … 192109 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack zoom_amd64.deb …
Unpacking zoom (5.17.5.2543) …
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of zoom:
zoom depends on libxcb-xtest0; however:
Package libxcb-xtest0 is not installed.
zoom depends on ibus; however:
Package ibus is not installed.
zoom depends on libxcb-cursor0; however:
Package libxcb-cursor0 is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package zoom (–install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for qubes-core-agent (4.2.28-1+deb12u1) …
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.26-1) …
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1) …
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (2.2-1) …
Errors were encountered while processing:
zoom
I had no such issue with gdebi, so I would say gdebi.
I think I just installed signal into the template. It looks like your script is installing signal each time into an app qube. Am I misunderstanding what it does and your intent?
Yes, it technically installs Signal each time I start the qube.
Installing it to the template is also an option, but I avoided it. You can either install it to a generic qube (I don’t want extra repos there) or have a specific qube (=> bigger size and more hassle).
It wont - dpkg is the wrong tool for this. (You can only run one
instance at a time, and you are using one to install the downloaded
package - the package wont be installed, and you need to use
another tool to install the dependencies - apt, aptitude etc.)
Just use apt - apt install PATH_TO_PACKAGE
That will install package with dependencies.
Setting up ibus (1.5.27-5) …
Setting up libgtk-4-1:amd64 (4.8.3+ds-2+deb12u1) …
Setting up libgtk-4-bin (4.8.3+ds-2+deb12u1) …
Setting up ibus-gtk4:amd64 (1.5.27-5) …
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1) …
Setting up zoom (5.17.5.2543) …
run post install script, action is configure…
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.36-9+deb12u4) …
N: Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file ‘/home/user/QubesIncoming/public/zoom_amd64.deb’ couldn’t be accessed by user ‘_apt’. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
Ideally I’d like to list a simple command that works without issue that new users can run if they want to install zoom.
This works fine as long as you trust the people building it when the package author aren’t certified to be the upstream developers. Anyone can publish anything on flathub.
This doesn’t mean the package is not legit, but it’s something to be aware of as you trade packaging trust for sand-boxing (and depending on the application, the sand-boxing can be nonexistent).
Ah, ok. It reads like a permission error. I did verify that Zoom installed.
I think gdebi might still be preferred. As I read elsewhere, the issue is that apt expects to install packages downloaded by the _apt user, since its main use is to download and install a package and its dependencies together. gdebi is made specifically for installing already downloaded packages.
Functionally, they are equally good. It sounds like you are pretty familiar with apt messages. That N indicates note isn’t so obvious to non-programmers.
As a developer, I know how difficult it can be at times to think like the user. I can appreciate that there is simplicity of using apt, which is already installed vs having to install gdebi. I don’t see any other downside to using gdebi.
I think it would be good to have a FAQ for downloading tools like Zoom (maybe listing both methods) that aren’t in a repo. Zoom is especially important, since it represents over 50% of the usage in the video conference arena, according to Videoconferencing software market share 2023 | Statista.
I appreciate the comment about N meaning Note. My personal preference is still gdebi, which I use on Linux Mint for the same use case.
I apologize for missing those links. I think I read them but was looking for something more cookbook. I did look for a “how to install Zoom on debian” posting, but perhaps this thread could be reworked into one. It might need to be trimmed from a conversation into something shorter of course.
FWIW, I think I did things differently, possibly more simply that the instructions at installing-software-from-other-sources
download package using the app qube you want Zoom in
copy package to the underlying template
start a terminal of the underlying template and run the following command:
apt install path to package
Note: ignore any messages preceded by N
shut down the template
restart the original qubes
The above 5 steps could be an alternate to the first 8 steps at installing-software-from-other-sources. Cloning the template is a matter of preference based on risk assessment. I didn’t need to open networking at all on the template vm, which is possibly less risky.