Hey, could someone please tell me how to install Firefox on the latest version of Debian? I know it has Iceweasel, which is basically the same thing, but I'd rather have Firefox instead. BTW, I'm completely new to linux, sotry to be specific. Thanks.

Hello. I would just install Iceweasel. It is exactly the same as Firefox ---- as far as I have found. Have you heard of a difference? If you want *Firefox* , then download it from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/ Good luck!

Yes - Iceweasel is just a different name on the Firefox browser. This is because Debain modified Firefox somehow and the licsence states that the name cannot stay Firefox.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I know how to download the file for firefox off their website, but I can't install it. The package manager that comes with Debian won't recognize it(or more likely I just don't know how to use it correctly) and when I try to type

apt-get install firefox

it comes up with this error message.

Package firefox is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
However the following packages replace it:
iceweasel
E: Package firefox has no installation candidate

Please help. Thanks.

download the Mozilla package, extract it and run firefox, nothing to install . Although why you would want too when Iceweasel works exactly the same is beyond me.

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8.1.13) Gecko/20080311 Firefox/2.0.0.13 (Debian-2.0.0.13-1)< actually IW with the user.agent changed so I could install Google extensions.

Iceweasel is the exact same thing as firefox. They litterally just changed the logo and name. There are no other differences what-so-ever.

This link here explains why Debian distros use the term "Iceweasel" as opposed to "Firefox". I hope this helps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceweasel

Trust me, save yourself the headache, USE ICEWEASEL

Another vote for just using Iceweasel..

I use Iceweasel on my Debian boxes and Firefox on my Window machine at work. there is absolutely no difference other than name and logo that I have found. All the same extensions work on either..

I think it's pointless to install Firefox on Debian just to have the name.. just making it harder on yourself imho..

If you are running Debian Stable, the version of Iceweasle is a clone of an older version of Firefox. As with most of Debian's packages. It's not bleeding edge. Now that doesn't mean the same for testing or sid. But if you want the latest Firefox that leaves iceweasle out. but no it isn't difficult. Just have to make the menu entry yourself. Still not difficult.

If it ain't broke - don't fix it.
Stick to the weasel.

2.0.0.12-0etch1 is in Etch and if the 13 fixed any security bugs it will make it into etch sooner or later.
2.0.0.12 is still the testing version, 2.0.0.13 is in sid.

I know about the thing between Firefox and Debian, but I still really would rather have Firefox than Iceweasel. I downloaded it off the website, and extracted it to the desktop, and that's about where I get lost. The Synaptic Package Manager can't do anything with any of the files in the extracted folder(or I don't know how to make it), and clicking on the shell scripts and executable files doesn't do anything. If someone could explain to me in very simple terms how to get it working, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

You don't need to install it. The usual Firefox download for Linux is not a source package but a gzipped binary. All you have to do is unpack (extract) it, then double click on the executable...this is a file named "firefox" ;-) and firefox launches. You can of course copy the entire firefox directory to somewhere like /opt/ and make a menu item and/or desktop shortcut. You can now enjoy the exact same experience browsing as you already had out of the box with iceweasel. Break out the champagne.

edit: this works for me using antiX on Debian unstable. It's a major thrill.

The problem is when I click on all the executable files, nothing happens. When I click on the shell scripts, it opens up a menu asking if I want to run it, then when I click run, nothing happens.

so open a terminal and run the executable or shellscript from there and get some feedback.

Or for the same exact identical browsing experience use iceweasel (aka firefox).

Sorry for being so persistent, but I really want to get this working. I tried typing the commands firefox and Mozilla at the terminal(as root). When I type firefox, Iceweasel just comes up, and when I type Mozilla nothing happens. Those are the only two shell scripts I can see in the Firefox folder. I'm a complete newb, and I'd really like to get this running.