Betterbird flatpak listing on Flathub.org

[ovari]

Can Betterbird please be added to Flathub?

Can the Thunderbird flathub repository help?

@Erick555 could you kindly assist?

Thank you

[ovari]

@4ch1m can ansible-betterbird be used as a fully automated build script for Betterbird using Ansible into the Flathub app store whenever there is a new Betterbird release?

Thank you

[4ch1m]

ansible-betterbird automatically ...

• installs all dependencies for a local build of Thunderbird/Betterbird (Mercurial, Python, etc.)
• does all the necessary configuration (mozconfig)
• pulls the original sources of Thunderbird
• pulls all the latest Betterbird patches from this repository
• applies all Betterbird patches
• executes the build
• generates the release package (*.tar.bz2).

Creating (and publishing) a Flatpack would be another task; probably for another (Ansible) script which could utilize ansible-betterbird for the actual build process.

[Erick555]

I think you can't currently publish to flathub from external CI without special approval (which only mozilla got for publishing firefox). You could publish *.tar.bz2 somewhere then point to it from flathub which will make flatpak out of it.

[ovari]

Thank you @Erick555 for your information.

Currently there is a *.tar.bz2 file at https://www.betterbird.eu/downloads/index.php. The file is https://www.betterbird.eu/downloads/betterbird-91.1.1-bb14.en-US.linux-x86_64.tar.bz2

Can Betterbird be listed on Flathub now?

Thank you

[Betterbird]

Well, that build was more like a one-off for testing purposes. Apparently there is still a naming issue (thunderbird vs. betterbird).
EDIT: Naming issue resolved, folder in .tar.gz now named betterbird.

[Betterbird]

We're publishing .tag.gz now for English and German for every release, https://www.betterbird.eu/downloads/, also see the requirements here: https://www.betterbird.eu/system-requirements/.
So maybe @Erick555 can move this forward now.

[Erick555]

I don't use this app and I don't have interest in publishing it on flathub. I've only offered some guidance.

[thomasphansen]

Hi there! :)
Just found this documentation, which can probably help:
https://github.com/flathub/flathub/wiki/App-Submission
https://docs.flatpak.org/en/latest/publishing.html
Looking forward to see Betterbird at flathub! :)

[vasyugan]

hey, just pinging you, I was just going to write a feature request for a flatpak, I see it is already there, but the process seems to be stalled.

[Betterbird]

So reading https://github.com/flathub/flathub/wiki/App-Submission:
4. Add your app’s manifest to the branch, commit it and push the commit

What is that manifest and can someone locate the equivalent for Thunderbird? Looks like the TB repo is here:
https://github.com/flathub/org.mozilla.Thunderbird

And just for my understanding, what is the concept of Flathub? Does this involve building each application (like one could assume when seeing this https://github.com/flathub/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/blob/master/mozconfig) or is a pre-build package repacked and distributed (like here: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/betterbird-bin/). Just for the record, for Linux we use the ansible build from here: https://github.com/4ch1m/ansible-betterbird.

[Erick555]

It's possible to build it from scratch or use pre-build binaries. I guess flathub reviewers would prefer the former although if you have your own CI setup already then you may convince them for the latter.

The manifest is something like this. This file declares all remote sources and tells how to build them (or copy/install if they are in binary form).

[vasyugan]

What is that manifest and can someone locate the equivalent for Thunderbird? Looks like the TB repo is here: https://github.com/flathub/org.mozilla.Thunderbird

I guess it makes sense to look at a manifest file for a package using pre-built binaries, such as Skype.

[mfschumann]

I have modified the Thunderbird manifest to create a flatpak package from the pre-built binaries of Betterbird: https://github.com/mfschumann/betterbird-flatpak

@Betterbird The project license for Thunderbird is stated as MPL-2.0. Does this apply for Betterbird, too?

The next step towards a listing on Flathub is to open a pull request against the flathub repo, adding the manifest. Once the pull request has completed, a new repository will be created hosting the Betterbird manifest. On everey push to that repo (e.g. on every release of a new Betterbird version), a new flatpak package will be built.

@Betterbird Do you want to create the pull request against the flathub repo? Like that you would get write access to the manifest repo and would be able to integrate updating the manifest into the Betterbird release workflow. If you want me to help with anything, just let me know.

[Betterbird]

Thanks for that.
Yes, the license is MPL-2.0 only with a slight modification related to attribution, see: https://github.com/Betterbird/thunderbird-patches/blob/main/LICENSE. For the purposed of distribution it's MPL-2.0.

Briefly looking at https://github.com/mfschumann/betterbird-flatpak, the screenshots show Thunderbird.

If at all possible, for now we don't want to get involved in maintaining any Linux distribution. For example, we found a volunteer that maintains the Arch packages.

[ovari]

Thank you @mfschumann.

Should the https://github.com/mfschumann/betterbird-flatpak#readme also be updated? For example, from

Thunderbird for Flatpak installation instructions are available by clicking here to visit the Thunderbird app page on Flathub.

to

Betterbird for Flatpak installation instructions are available by clicking here to visit the Betterbird app page on Flathub.

[mfschumann]

@ovari Yes, absolutely. Also, the screenshots should be updated to actually show Betterbird. I just did the bare minimum to succesfully make the flatpak package yet. Feel free to make these adaptions and create a pull request.

[ovari]

mfschumann/betterbird-flatpak#1

[ovari]

Can the screenshots just be removed or the following be initially used?

• https://betterbird.eu/betterbird.svg
• https://betterbird.eu/media/img/tb-bb-comparison-800px.jpg
• https://betterbird.eu/media/img/windows-badge.png

At least until someone provides Betterbird screenshots?

[Betterbird]

Please don't use the "propaganda" cartoon. It can't be so hard to start BB and take a screenshot. If necessary, even I can do it under Linux. The "windows badge" is for Windows, it doesn't apply to Linux.

[Betterbird]

[ovari]

Should those images be added to:

• https://betterbird.eu/
• https://github.com/Betterbird/thunderbird-patches/

[Betterbird]

This is now tracked elsewhere: https://github.com/flathub/eu.betterbird.Betterbird

[mfschumann]

🎉 Betterbird has been released on flathub!

The flathub web page does not seem to show it just yet, but installing via flatpak install eu.betterbird.Betterbird or using Gnome Software works.

[ovari]

Flathub now shows Betterbird:

• https://flathub.org/apps/details/eu.betterbird.Betterbird
• https://flathub.org/apps/search/betterbird
• https://flathub.org/apps/search/thunderbird
• https://flathub.org/apps/collection/new

[Betterbird]

So now we wait until people complain that it's only in English and that there are no language packs 😉

[vasyugan]

So now we wait until people complain that it's only in English and that there are no language packs wink

That's kind of an issue, and one that doesn't occur with the Thunderbird flatpak. In both thunderbird and firefox you can switch the language and it will, as it seems, download the missing localisation files.

[mfschumann]

We are already working on localization: flathub/eu.betterbird.Betterbird#4