Install Apps

[jeopardyracing]

I'd like to install the latest version of Firefox, but I don't want to use apt-get on m y HD install of Knopp because the versions listed (even when I apt-cache updated!) aren't the newest version.

What directory should I expand the Firefox app in? I've done it in my user directory in the past but I really don't like that approach. Is /usr/bin best?

[Markus]

Do you have unstable lines in /etc/apt/sources.list ?

root@fujibox:/home/markus# apt-cache policy mozilla-firefox
mozilla-firefox:
Installed: (none)
Candidate: 1.0-4
Version Table:
1.0-4 0
990 ftp://ftp.fi.debian.org unstable/main Packages

root@fujibox:/home/markus# apt-get install -t unstable mozilla-firefox -s
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Suggested packages:
mozilla-firefox-gnome-support
The following NEW packages will be installed:
mozilla-firefox
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 123 not upgraded.
Inst mozilla-firefox (1.0-4 Debian:unstable)
Conf mozilla-firefox (1.0-4 Debian:unstable)

Or is there a newer version?

[jeopardyracing]

I didn't add any unstable lines - are they there so I can just uncomment them? If not, any suggestions you may have on good servers would be great.

[Markus]

Kind of depends where you're located.

For Germany:
# deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
# deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian-non-US unstable/non-US main contrib non-free
## deb-src http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
## deb-src http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian-non-US unstable/non-US main contrib non-free

Finland:
deb ftp://ftp.fi.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free
deb ftp://ftp.fi.debian.org/debian-non-US unstable/non-US main contrib non-free
# deb-src ftp://ftp.fi.debian.org/debian/ unstable main

You can use apt-spy to find a fast server near you. Me, I just chose ftp.fi since it's just a few km's from where I live.
Or have a look at: http://www.debian.org/mirror/

[shah]

Get firefox from their site.
It comes with installer, so you don't have to compile it.

:D

[jeopardyracing]

I saw that it came with an installer, but the installer seems to simply unpack everything wherever it's run. That's why I was wondering where I shoud put the installler before running it. Or have the changed the installer so now it installs elsehwere? I think my last try was 1.0 preview.

[jeopardyracing]

Thanks for the links for the mirrors - I'll check those out!

[shah]

Unpack it some temporary folder where you have access and install it to your home folder.
Create a link on your desktop.
If you want to uninstall it...just delete that firefox folder.

:D :D

[jeopardyracing]

See that's the part I always wonder about: I have a copy of Firefox in a home folder once and wound up with a pretty significan memory leak related to playing flash movies. I thought the memory leak was the result of having installed an app in the home folder rather than elsewhere. Was I wrong then - is there nothing at all wrong with running applications from the home folder?

[A. Jorge Garcia]

I find it easier to download the *.deb I want from http://packages.debian.org and then use kpackage. I'm sick of apt-get breaking down on me!

Regards,
AJG

[jeopardyracing]

Okay - pulling down Firefox now from the unstable link there. This might be the easiest way! Thanks.

[jeopardyracing]

When I try to install Firefox it was missing two dependencies when I tried to install using dpkg -i. One of them could be installed, the other in turn depended on something else:

libpango needed libpango common.

BUT when I tried to dpkg libpango-common, it in turn needed libpango! I seem to recall that in my Red Hat days I could install two rpms symaltaneously to avoid this problem. Is there a similar concept with debian packages?

Edit: - I went ahead with apt-get and the mirrors I used must have upgrade the firefox, since they now had version 1.0! So I am all set. Thanks for the help. I would be curious re the answer to the above for future reference, however.

[Markus]

I'm sick of apt-get breaking down on me! *cough* kanotix *cough* :wink:
After all, what's the point of running debian if you don't use apt which I think is it's best feature.

[CrashedAgain]

I'd like to install the latest version of Firefox, but I don't want to use apt-get on m y HD install of Knopp because the versions listed (even when I apt-cache updated!) aren't the newest version.

What directory should I expand the Firefox app in? I've done it in my user directory in the past but I really don't like that approach. Is /usr/bin best?

'apt-cache updated' you do mean apt-get update do you not? Check /etc/apt/sources.list , there should be at least one unstable mirror listed,

'apt-get -t unstable install firefox'

should get you the most recent version.


I find it easier to download the *.deb I want from http://packages.debian.org and then use kpackage. I'm sick of apt-get breaking down on me!

This is surprising, since kpackage uses apt to download then both kpackage and apt use dpkg to do the actual install. The advantage of using apt is that it downloads &/or updates dependencies. If you download then install the downloaded package with either kpackage or dpkg you must take care of dependencies manually.
Almost alway, if there is a problem with apt it is not apt's doing, it can usually be traced back to a broken package. This is why *cough* kanotix *cough* seems so much better, there are more broken /poorly installed packages in Knoppix. Like the missing file in frozen-bubble=data, etc.

[firebyrd10]

This is surprising, since kpackage uses apt to download then both kpackage and apt use dpkg to do the actual install. The advantage of using apt is that it downloads &/or updates dependencies. If you download then install the downloaded package with either kpackage or dpkg you must take care of dependencies manually.
Almost alway, if there is a problem with apt it is not apt's doing, it can usually be traced back to a broken package. This is why *cough* kanotix *cough* seems so much better, there are more broken /poorly installed packages in Knoppix. Like the missing file in frozen-bubble=data, etc.

Acually kpackage is a frontend to apt-get, which is a front end to dpkg.

[CrashedAgain]

Acually kpackage is a frontend to apt-get, which is a front end to dpkg.

Sort of true. Dpkg won't do downloads. Apt does the download then callsl dpkg to do the actual install. Kpackage is a front end to apt but if it is installing an already downloaded package it skips the apt part & just calls dpkg to do the install. This is when you end up with the " unable to install package x; package x depends on package y but it is not going to be installed" errors because dpkg isn't capable of searching for packages.