From: Steve Petrie via talk <talk@gtalug.org>
Turns out my using a USB memory stick to boot debian 11 live, means any file (e.g. a .desktop file) I add to /usr/share/applications disappears upon the next boot from the USB stick.
That's the normal default behaviour.
Seems that a live linux loads entirely into RAM,
No, only the changes live in RAM. And a cache.
so updates made to it are all lost with a boot. No persistence..
Yes.
Various web pages talk about implementing a live linux with persistence, but they are way to complicated for me.
I haven't looked, but I don't think that they need be complicated.
So, looks like I'm stuck with starting the firefox-128.4.0esr with a right-click > Run.
Actually, it is possible to "install" Linux to a USB disk (including flash drives). Then persistence works as you would expect. Installing to USB disk is just like installing to a normal disk. So you already know how to do that.
Eventually I'll switch to a more current debian live version which hopefully will have an up to date firefox that is assured to run well into the future.
Sounds easy unless you internet service makes this slow or expensive.