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I need to install a newer version of Thunderbird due to data compatibility issues. The current version (68.10) installed via apt is less recent than that I need to install - and the snap versions available are much more recent still - around 78.5 ...

I know how to crudely install Thunderbird: just download, unzip to some file location and then double click on the /thunderbird/thunderbird executable file.

The problem after this process is that:

  1. Thunderbird will not show on the Show Applications menu at all
  2. Unless downloaded to a folder in a given user account's files, the Thunderbird executable cannot be started due to permission issues.

Naturally, I would like to have this application available to all users on this PC, not just admin. And I would like a "normal" launcher icon for the Show Applications tray.

Trunk
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  • The unfortunate reality is that you don't install outdated versions of internet-connected software. Not only can it break your package management system, but you open yourself up to known security vulnerabilities which will never get patched. Surely other people have experienced your issue when upgrading in the past and have moved on and figured out a solution that doesn't require running outdated unsafe software. That's where you should focus your effort. – Nmath Nov 23 '20 at 20:41
  • @Nmath It has to be done in this case as I'm migrating Thunderbird's data files from Windows 10. Would love it to be otherwise (and I've tried so many ways to) but it cannot be otherwise - data files have a TB version 68.12.1 and current apt version is 68.10 . . . Snap TB version is ~ 70. – Trunk Nov 23 '20 at 21:04
  • You don't know that it can't be done because you have not approached the situation this way. I suggest that you ask about that problem rather than your originally proposed solution. This is a typical XY problem. I promise that your path is not a viable one nor is it a long term solution. This seems common enough that there must exist a viable solution that doesn't require running unsafe software. – Nmath Nov 23 '20 at 21:25
  • @Nmath Whoa there. I corrected my original post to report that the apt Thunderbird version is currently older than the one I want to install. Apologies for my initial post's error. So now I want a newer version to be installed than the current one - which we assume is considered safe enough. Of course the likelihood is that when apt update Thunderbird, it will be in the 70s rather than 68.12.1 . . . So I need to install this 68.12.1 version, update the TB data files and when the next Thunderbird update comes from apt, apply it. What's bad about a manual installation process? – Trunk Nov 23 '20 at 21:55
  • Refer to the "problem" being solved here - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1309930 My question on manuall installation also applies with other packages where the current one is too far behind than one would normally want to tolerate. And to packages outside those available via apt or snap. – Trunk Nov 23 '20 at 22:02
  • All of the comments on that "problem" seem to suggest that the OP wasn't doing something right or their software was bugged. Because it looks like there are plenty of solutions in that thread that don't involve messing around with your package management system. I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to import the data regardless of the different version. Have you even tried? Please see: https://askubuntu.com/q/151283 – Nmath Nov 23 '20 at 22:10
  • "What's bad about a manual installation process?" -- you introduce conflicts with the maintained package version in Ubuntu repositories. This can cause all sorts of problems, not just with the software that you manually installed but with any dependencies – Nmath Nov 23 '20 at 22:14
  • The Snap package has Thunderbird 78.5, and is already compatible with the Gnome desktop. Alternately, Ubuntu 20.10 runs Thunderbird 78.3, which is compatible with the Gnome desktop. The Question does not explain why these two fully-Ubuntu-supported solutions are unacceptable. – user535733 Nov 23 '20 at 22:43
  • @Nmath: All the advice offered in the linked thread lead to installing Tb v 68.12.1. I see no other workable solutions offered that weren't unsuccessful either, e.g. installing a higher version than 68.12.1. – Trunk Nov 24 '20 at 01:00
  • @user535733 The problem was to migrate my old Windows Thunderbird message, folder and add-on settings (my profile, so to speak) to my new Ubuntu Thunderbird installation following the procedure offered here https://superuser.com/questions/1550634/moving-thunderbird-email-setup-from-win10-to-linux-ubuntu/1550667#1550667 originally, subsequently modified after my failure to do it like that. Installing older or more recent versions did not work owing to errors output while attempting the latter. It is not because of such handy attempted solutions being "unacceptable" in any other sense ! – Trunk Nov 24 '20 at 01:03

1 Answers1

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Here's one way:

  • Spin up a disposable container or VM. Manually install the correct version of TB.
  • Use the container to convert your Windows TB files to Linux.
  • Migrate your new Linux TB files onto your real system, which uses a different (apt- or Snap-packaged) version of TB with Gnome-shell compatibility baked in.
user535733
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