I am looking forward to use Ubuntu Core Desktop (hopefully from 24.04 onwards), so I am trying adopt new software designed for Ubuntu Core already which means using snaps only.
I suppose if Core Desktop would have some good virtualization solution, then it already could run any kind of software and be usable as a daily driver. So providing virtualization solution seems to be one of the pillars to make Ubuntu Core Desktop a good choice (?)
So I try to use Gnome Boxes snap maintained by Canonical, but there is quite a few issues, and the most frustraiting one is that there is no information how to fix it (or information - is it fixable), so I spend a lot of time experimenting but without success.
Suggestions:
- During my search I discovered this forum, Gnome boxes issue queue and Ubuntu support subscription costing 150 eur/year. This is a good price if that would help me save time solving issues like this? But ubuntu support desciription only talk about Main and Universe DEB packages, does it include support with issues in snaps like this (and save a lot of time)?
- I would love there to be some links what the user could do when things don’t work. Linking issue queue dedicated to this snap would go a long way (hopefully to a user friendly site like Github). It would help to discover existing issues and maybe how to solve some of it. Now I had to spend a lot of time searching information scaterred all accross the internet about this snap and still don’t find required info (best I find are others who also don’t find this info).
- I would like to know why USB sharing does not work.
- I would like to learn how to share files between the box and the host. Tutorials on the internet don’t work.
- It is being said that KVM has near native performance, but I have impression it consumes much more CPU as on the host (tested with video watching on CPU). Would like to learn confirmation or opinions.
- There is a sound lag.
- In general, Gnome Boxes itself could be developed more. It could have less bugs in existing features, and some new features like being able to open each box in a separate window.
- I am fine using some better tech than Gnome Boxes, but did not find other snap like this, and since this is maintained by Canonical itself, I suppose Gnome Boxes is the future.