I’ve seen a few folks mention that Ubuntu 22.04 no longer lets you search for, browse, or install .deb packages from the Ubuntu repo using the Ubuntu Software app.
And technically, they’re not wrong! At the time I write this the latest up-to-date builds of Ubuntu 22.04 do not let you do any of that.
But don’t panic: it is a bug.
While some may want a Snap-only experience in Ubuntu, it’s a bit too soon to roll with one (not to mention a hugely controversial decision not suited to an LTS release).
Developers have spent the past five months working hard to fill the Jammy archive with that latest apps, tools, and utilities, the vast majority of which are not available on the Snap Store. Stonewalling access to them in the software install tool Ubuntu recommends folks use? Heck, that’d be a serious regression.
Which is why stress this is only a bug.
It’s temporary.
It’s not intentional.
It will be fixed.
I wouldn’t normally write a blog post to talk about a bug — in development they happen, innit — but I’m being cautious. The Ubuntu 22.04 beta arrives soon so more people will be testing Jammy out to make videos, write blog posts, gather screenshots, etc. I wouldn’t want someone to download the latest daily .iso, assume this quirk is intended behaviour, and then pass on that info as fact.
I don’t know how long this bug has been out there. I know I installed a bunch of archive tools on my Jammy build a few weeks ago, so it must be relatively recent flub. Alas, I didn’t spot it myself as I do most of my package management from the command line because Ubuntu Software is pretty poor I like it.
So yeah: keep calm and use Ubuntu!