Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Looks To Drop Its Partner Archive In Favor Of The Snap Store

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS will likely do away with the Ubuntu/Canonical Partner Archive where their software partners could upload select proprietary/binary-only software for easy access by Ubuntu users.

The Ubuntu Partner Archive has been where various extra software packages have been offered that may be proprietary software but blessed by Canonical and with significant user interest. Past examples include the likes of the Google Cloud SDK, Adobe Flash, TI Keystone HPC, the VMware view client, and other components.

This partner archive has been empty since Ubuntu 20.10 and even for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS it was just for shipping Adobe Flash, which is now EOL and not supported by the upcoming Ubuntu 22.04.

With the partner archive being empty now for one year and for new packages they prefer ISVs submit to the Snap Store, they are looking to eliminate this archive in Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

Longtime Ubuntu developer Steve Langasek laid out the proposal on Thursday for its deprecation with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Details for this likely change can be found via the Ubuntu-devel list.