About snap and how Mint handles it since 2020.
Linux is a niche in desktop, but where is the difference to the 99,9% accepted methods of Android or IOS stores or MS Windows? ..damage is done already

If Ubuntu are trying to expand into general office or home computing they need to turn their Linux computers into an appliance that you just plug in and use, no special knowledge required. Like Windows etc.

Snap is intended to make software installation and removal as painless as possible on Linux systems in offices. That's above all, performance can take a hit as it doesn't matter too much on an office desktop. Many of those machines have plenty of resources nowadays and aren't switched off either, just logged in and out of so boot times also don't matter too much. It was never intended for home users or Linux geeks. Generally its succeeded in doing what it was designed to do. Time is money, computer support takes time and slows workers down - speed it up. If things are too slow throw more money at the problem.

Snap is useless on low power systems with limited RAM, but it was never intended for those systems. It's a bit unfair to look at it from that point of view. Snap isn't necessarily bad but it's not always the right choice. The full Ubuntu and Red Hat distros aren't for home users, they are business software.

Coming from Windows running at inadequate hardware (too old, or simply underpowered), Linux was a relief. Fast, mysterious, and honestly, when you have mastered the tricks to make it do what you want, it works flawless, reliable, fast. It only updates when YOU want it, and going back to previous is easy.

Started with Puppy Linux (USB stick) for years, then Lubuntu 16.04 (early Lubuntu is the distro that I still love most), now Ubuntu 20.04, and hesitant to upgrade. Because it works (except Arduino programming the ESP8266...as I found out lately due to a conflict with python).

You can loath Ubuntu, but I have had years of positive experience. And when you can't find your way out.. the internet is full of "tips and tricks".

It is very well possible that I will not install Ubuntu 24.04, but I am not feeling confident enough to pick just "any linux". Something that has a large community, where I can google for solutions. I am simply not smart enough to invent it myself.

Volhout

Ubuntu is excellent, but IMHO it's not the home user distro that it used to be. All the distros have cash flow problems - it takes at least some input of cash just to pay for a server. Not all can manage on user contributions alone. Red Hat and Ubuntu decided to go commercial. Red Hat do it by selling maintenance contracts, Ubuntu seen to be going more in the user lock-in direction now. This what upset Mint a bit, and why they came up with LMDE. If Ubuntu had decided to mess up the licensing of essential parts it could have finished Mint.

Luckily there are other distros. Debian have a branch that is "pure" Linux. It's good but minimal, and contains no proprietary code. They also have more up to date branches, and Debian Stable is rock solid, if slightly dated. That makes it a good base for other distros such as MX.

I started with Slackware, which was supplied on several CDs and *very* command line orientated. I didn't stay with that very long! I might still have it somewhere but I threw a lot of old stuff out. I also tried Red Hat for a while. When I eventually found Mint I was hooked. I still think their versions are some of the best. I do like MX a lot though...  :)