Yesterday I updated to Plasma 5.12 on my Kubuntu 17.10 production machine using the backports PPA. Since then, Firefox is no longer available to install from Discover because its packaging appears to have lots its AppStream data.
My apt repos are up-to-date:
$ sudo apt update Get:1 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful-security InRelease [78.6 kB] Hit:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful InRelease Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful-updates InRelease [78.6 kB] Hit:4 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu artful InRelease Hit:5 http://ppa.launchpad.net/gnumdk/lollypop/ubuntu artful InRelease Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful-backports InRelease [72.2 kB] Hit:7 http://ppa.launchpad.net/kubuntu-ppa/backports/ubuntu artful InRelease Hit:8 http://ppa.launchpad.net/nilarimogard/webupd8/ubuntu artful InRelease Hit:9 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/master-daily/ubuntu artful InRelease Fetched 229 kB in 2s (112 kB/s) Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done All packages are up to date.
...And the firefox package is available, installed, and looks sane:
$ apt show firefox Package: firefox Version: 58.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.17.10.1 Priority: optional Section: web Origin: Ubuntu Maintainer: Ubuntu Mozilla Team <ubuntu-mozillateam@lists.ubuntu.com> Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug Installed-Size: 175 MB Provides: gnome-www-browser, iceweasel, www-browser Depends: lsb-release, libatk1.0-0 (>= 1.12.4), libc6 (>= 2.18), libcairo-gobject2 (>= 1.10.0), libcairo2 (>= 1.10.0), libdbus-1-3 (>= 1.9.14), libdbus-glib-1-2 (>= 0.78), libfontconfig1 (>= 2.11.94), libfreetype6 (>= 2.2.1), libgcc1 (>= 1:4.2), libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 (>= 2.22.0), libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.31.8), libgtk-3-0 (>= 3.4), libpango-1.0-0 (>= 1.22.0), libpangocairo-1.0-0 (>= 1.14.0), libstartup-notification0 (>= 0.8), libstdc++6 (>= 6), libx11-6, libx11-xcb1, libxcb-shm0, libxcb1, libxcomposite1 (>= 1:0.3-1), libxdamage1 (>= 1:1.1), libxext6, libxfixes3, libxrender1, libxt6 Recommends: xul-ext-ubufox, libcanberra0, libdbusmenu-glib4, libdbusmenu-gtk3-4 Suggests: fonts-lyx Replaces: kubuntu-firefox-installer Task: ubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-usb, kubuntu-desktop, kubuntu-full, edubuntu-desktop, edubuntu-usb, xubuntu-desktop, lubuntu-gtk-desktop, lubuntu-desktop, ubuntustudio-desktop, ubuntu-gnome-desktop, ubuntukylin-desktop, ubuntu-mate-core, ubuntu-mate-desktop Xul-Appid: {ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384} Supported: 9m Download-Size: 45.0 MB APT-Manual-Installed: yes APT-Sources: http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful-updates/main amd64 Packages Description: Safe and easy web browser from Mozilla Firefox delivers safe, easy web browsing. A familiar user interface, enhanced security features including protection from online identity theft, and integrated search let you get the most out of the web. N: There is 1 additional record. Please use the '-a' switch to see it
...But there's no AppStream data for it!
$ appstreamcli search firefox Identifier: kdocker.desktop [desktop-application] Name: KDocker Summary: Docks any application into system tray Package: kdocker Homepage: http://kdocker.com Icon: kdocker_kdocker.png --- Identifier: bleachbit-root.desktop [desktop-application] Name: BleachBit (as root) Summary: Free space and maintain privacy Package: bleachbit Icon: bleachbit_bleachbit.png --- Identifier: bleachbit.desktop [desktop-application] Name: BleachBit Summary: Free space and maintain privacy Package: bleachbit Icon: bleachbit_bleachbit.png --- Identifier: firefox-esr.desktop [desktop-application] Name: Iceweasel Summary: Browse the World Wide Web Package: xul-ext-iceweasel-branding Icon: xul-ext-iceweasel-branding_iceweasel.png --- Identifier: uget-gtk.desktop [desktop-application] Name: uGet Summary: Download multiple URLs and apply it to one of setting/queue. Package: uget Icon: uget_uget-icon.png --- Identifier: gnome-do.desktop [desktop-application] Name: GNOME Do Summary: Do things as quickly as possible (but no quicker) with your files, bookmarks, applications, music, contacts, and more! Package: gnome-do Icon: gnome-do_gnome-do.png --- Identifier: ubuntu-online-tour.desktop [desktop-application] Name: Ubuntu Tour Summary: Experience Ubuntu in your web browser Package: ubuntu-online-tour Icon: ubuntu-online-tour_ubuntu-online-tour.png --- Identifier: iceweasel.desktop [desktop-application] Name: Iceweasel Summary: Browse the World Wide Web Package: xul-ext-iceweasel-branding Icon: xul-ext-iceweasel-branding_iceweasel.png
This prevents Firefox from showing up in KDE discover (and GNOME Software, too).