Release more package formats for Mozilla VPN on Linux

[LatinCanuck]

I personally feel that Mozilla treats Linux users as 2nd class citizens. When in reality, Linux users have been loyal to Mozilla, and we also understand the importance of Open Source and the Open Web.

Problem: At this point, if you attempt to download the Mozilla VPN for Linux, your only option is Ubuntu, and it has to be downloaded through a PPA repo that installs a .deb package. This is very unfair because Ubuntu is no longer the most popular Linux-based operating system. Fedora and Arch Linux are attracting new users.

Solution: When it comes to Fedora, the .rpm packages already exist on your Github repo.
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/mozilla-vpn-client/runs/4253033458
All you have to do is to make them available on your website. Or publish the Copr repo created by @dannycolin. It works just like a PPA repo but for Fedora.
https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/dannycolin/mozillavpn
In fact, I installed the VPN client through his repo and it works just fine on Fedora 35.

Even Better Solution: release this VPN client as a Flatpak. Flatpak is the defacto universal package format for Linux, so it would benefit the entire community.

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[dannycolin]

All you have to do is to make them available on your website.

There's more than that. Developers have to maintain it (manual and automate tests, debugging, etc). It's time consuming and depending on the team size, they may not have the resources.

Or publish the Copr repo created by @dannycolin. It works just like a PPA repo but for Fedora.
https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/dannycolin/mozillavpn
In fact, I installed the VPN client through his repo and it works just fine on Fedora 35.

And this repository is a "use at your own risk".

Even Better Solution: release this VPN client as a Flatpak. Flatpak is the defacto universal package format for Linux, so it would benefit the entire community.

This would be even harder to achieve then distributing a .rpm or .deb especially for a VPN application because Flatpak has a lot of technical limitations related to permissions.

It still is a good idea and I've upvoted it but I think this is the kind of work the community is able to do and should be more involved. In the Linux community, it's the norm that applications are packaged for a specific distro by someone that isn't a developer of the application. So, I'd invite you to also get in touch with the package maintainers of your distro to ask they make Mozilla VPN available on their platform. Most of them have a way to propose new packages.

[fasttrains45]

Full agree. I actually bought the vpn package but had to do a refund because it doesn't support rpm (and I had no idea there was a copr for it.)

Would love to support Mozilla and use it but need it supported first.

[dannycolin]

@fasttrains45Now, you know about the COPR :). I'll do my best to keep it up-to-date so if you decide to resume your subscription you'll have it as an option.

[dvejmz]

I purchased a Mozilla VPN subscription a few months ago and I really like the product. I picked Mozilla VPN specifically over Mullvad because I want to support the Mozilla organisation. It is a shame I cannot readily use the Mozilla VPN on my Fedora desktop devices because of this limitation and would love to see a maintained RPM package from Mozilla in the future.