Linux Mint 20: Binary or Flatpak?

[enuddleyarbl]

Right at the top of:

https://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux

There's:

The latest release of calibre is 5.12.0. What's new.

Please do not use your distribution provided calibre package, as those are often buggy/outdated. Instead use the Binary install described below.

But, looking at the Software Manager in Linux Mint 20, I see not just an old 4.99 version, but a brand new 5.12 (latest version) Flatpak. If the up-to-date Flatpak version weren't there, I'd go right to the binary install instructions right below my leading quote. But, I'm wondering if going the Flatpak route might be easier in regard to the dependencies.

Should I install the Flatpak version or go the standard binary install route?

EDIT: I think the following link goes right to the centralized Flatpak version of Calibre (in case anyone would like to see what I'm talking about):

https://flathub.org/apps/details/com..._ebook.calibre

[kovidgoyal]

the flatpak version is just the repackaged binary. So it's the same as the binary, except there is another layer of changes on top that makes it more likely to break. As always, if you want support, please use the official binaries. If you dont care about support, use whatever you prefer.

[Quoth]

I avoid Flatpack.

Things to download direct
Calibre
Viber
Printer / Scanner drivers (Brother are good, but kill the autodiscovery).

[JSWolf]

I would avoid any Linux suppository. As you can see, they don't work well.

[HotblackDesiato]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would avoid any Linux suppository. As you can see, they don't work well.

FYI. mobileread runs on Linux, as do a majority of sites on the internet.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HotblackDesiato

FYI. mobileread runs on Linux, as do a majority of sites on the internet.

The issue is not Linux but the software repositories. They just don't work well. Take Calibre. 99% of Linux Calibre problems come from repository downloads.

[HotblackDesiato]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The issue is not Linux but the software repositories. They just don't work well. Take Calibre. 99% of Linux Calibre problems come from repository downloads.

What's your source on 99 percent?

[gbm]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would avoid any Linux suppository. As you can see, they don't work well.

They work a whole lot better than the so called windows store.

In my testing the Flatpack version of calibre works very well, if you are not comfortable with manually updating calibre then use the Flatpack version--the maintainers usually update several days after the binaries are released.

One program that I have found works better in Flatpack is Kodi.

Oh jon keep
The reason calibre repositories do not work most times is no one maintains them. The Arch AUR works because it is updated when calibre is updated.

bernie

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by gbm

They work a whole lot better than the so called windows store.

In my testing the Flatpack version of calibre works very well, if you are not comfortable with manually updating calibre then use the Flatpack version--the maintainers usually update several days after the binaries are released.

One program that I have found works better in Flatpack is Kodi.

The reason calibre repositories do not work most times is no one maintains them. The Arch AUR works because it is updated when calibre is updated.

bernie

99% was a guess. But more then 1/2 of the issues are because of repositories. That's not a guess.

Do you use Kodi to watch TV shows/movies you should not be watching?

But if Calibre is not updated, there probably are a lot of programs that are not updated. Also, if you don't check the Calibre site, you don't know that the version there is not the current version. To me it just seems a hassle.

I have never had a problem with the Windows store like there is with Linux repositories. Windows Store works better.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

snip

Do you use Kodi to watch TV shows/movies you should not be watching?
snip

Are you always a butthead jumping to accusations all the time?

bernie

[PeterT]

I think the issue that Jon is referring to is that many maintainers are adamant in sticking to certain versions of libraries that calibre uses, resulting in builds that are quite often crippled or broken in some subtle manner.

One issue I found yesterday on trying the flatpack version on my chromebook yesterday is that when I ran calibre in debug mode, I was told the log file was being written to /tmp/{some file name}, which did not exist.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I think the issue that Jon is referring to is that many maintainers are adamant in sticking to certain versions of libraries that calibre uses, resulting in builds that are quite often crippled or broken in some subtle manner.

One issue I found yesterday on trying the flatpack version on my chromebook yesterday is that when I ran calibre in debug mode, I was told the log file was being written to /tmp/{some file name}, which did not exist.

Yes exactly. The problem is that you cannot always rely on the repository for the software to work or be the current version. Heck, a lot of people ended up with some Calibre 5 beta from their repository instead of the correct version. There were a number of posts on MR about this. So do you really want to rely on your repository when it most likely will not work?