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Comment by jeroenhd | Hacker News Reader

This web page does a terrible job representing the necessary install steps. It looks super combined but can be combined into three or maybe four commands.

I think it would be massively helpful if the devs would upload a DEB/Flatpak file somewhere instead of having compilation instructions as the primary install method. Sure, if you run a funky Linux like OpenSUSE you need to follow and convert installation instructions, but for Ubuntu (which the guide is targeting) you really don't anymore.

That being said, on Arch (and Arch-derived) systems you can find this in the standard software store under the name snis-git if you've enabled the AUR.

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>This web page does a terrible job representing the necessary install steps. It looks super combined but can be combined into three or maybe four commands.

  git clone <git-repository>; make; make update-assets

It's literally three commands, assuming you have all the dependencies like I did, all of which is written clearly on the project page. Even if you don't have the dependencies, it's trivial to install them. I don't understand what's so terrible about it.

Maybe worth sending a Request For Package[1] in Debian? (that process involves sending an email, or running 'reportbug' at the command-line if you have it installed). Most of the install steps would be rolled into the dependency list by the maintainer, I imagine (and many of them look like they're only required at compile-time).

No guarantees on when it might appear as a package, of course, but it doesn't take long to ask (and hopefully not too long to implement, either).

[1] - https://wiki.debian.org/RFP

> I think it would be massively helpful if the devs would upload a DEB/Flatpak

Providing AppImage[0] would be enough for mostly all Linux users.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppImage

[1] https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/wiki/Similar-project...

If I understand the point of it, having a militantly unfriendly install process would be a feature, not bug. A Kobayashi Maru if you will. In that sense they probably hit the right audience. Almost enough to make me try it. Problem is I can't justify nerding out on a spaceship ...even if I actually had to work to get there.

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