I'm been running SuSE for about 2 years. I'm now using 9.0. I've been using Mozilla Firebird with windows and am very pleased with it. How do you install it in SuSE? I downloaded the new Firefox 8.0, saved the tar file in Documents and opened the tar file. Everytime I try ./configure it says no such directory.( I use this method - ./configure, make, make install with Slackware.) What is the proper method to install Firefox in SuSE? I can't find it in Yast either. Would definitely appreciate a little help.

PS-- Is not- ./configure, make, make install universal in Linux?

AFAIK, Firefox (like Firebird) simply lives in it's own directory. Go into the directory it extracted to and there should be a (guessing) Firefox.sh or somesuch file which you can then run it from. Or at least a readme/install file.

Did you get firefox source code? Or just the tarball with the programs?

I got the precompiled stuff.

Once you unzip and untar it, move it to the directory you want, probably /usr/local and then make a link to it usin ln -s in your /usr/bin/ directory.

XavierP, I have run-Firefox.sh in the Firefox directory. If I try to open it from Documents (xwindows) it says it can't find it. How do you run (and install?) from terminal? I don't khow how to open it. thanks- Larry

Claudius753- I downloaded a tarfile. Firefox is there, I just don't know how to install it properly. I've had Firebird and Opera before, but I screwed up the installation and they never worked properly. thanks - Larry

Should I have downloaded this while in Root?

sh run-Firefox.sh and you shouldn't need to be root. Alternatively, ./run-Firefox.sh.

XavierP -- A dumb newbie type question !! OK, I can run Firefox from command line. Compared to KDE it looks terrible. Running from command line is not the same as installing!!!. In windows I would have an icon in the quick start menu and it would work as well as Internet Explorer. Is not SuSE, RedHat or whatever open source? If it's not part of the package deal that comes with the system, does that mean that I can't install it? In ms windows I much prefer firebird, but I can't seem to get it right in linux. Is that because I'm a newbie and don't know what I'm doing or am I expecting results that can't happen. Is running firefox from command line the only method? I thought I could install firefox in linux just as in windows. Have an icon in the menu etc. I definitely do like linux, but it gets frustrating. Would appreciate an answer. Thank You -- Larry

Imellen, I'm a newbie too, but I just installed Firefox, so maybe I can help.

"OK, I can run Firefox from command line. Compared to KDE it looks terrible."

There are two versions of pre-compiled Firefox available, and you probably downloaded the non-XFT one, like I did the first time. It has no font anti-aliasing (ugh). You want to find a tarball that says "XFT" in the name somewhere and use that version, it'll look a lot better.

"In windows I would have an icon in the quick start menu and it would work as well as Internet Explorer. Is not SuSE, RedHat or whatever open source? If it's not part of the package deal that comes with the system, does that mean that I can't install it?"

Since you didn't get a Firefox RPM (installation) file, no menu links were created. With many shareware Windows programs, you just un-zip the file, and then you have to make your own Start menu link. Firefox (and many Linux programs) is the same way, because that way it's compatible with all Linux distros.

What you should do now is to open up Yast (the Suse config program) and find the KDE menu editor. Create a new menu item and give it the firefox command. Voila. You can also right-click the desktop and make a link to the application the same way.

Yeah, it would be nice if Firefox did all that for you and me with a nice RPM file, but since it's the cutting-edge version of Mozilla, I don't blame them for leaving the menu link as an exercise for the reader.

Hope that helps a little.

Paul

newbie here too, good comment about right-clicking the desktop paul... that will likely be the easiest way to make it work... Try this:

Right Click Desktop -- Create New -- Link to Application -- (tab) Execute -- Browse

navigate to the directory that you extracted the files too, and click on the "firefox" file. then click

-- OK

now click the icon and see if it opens firefox.

if so, close firefox, right-click the icon, "Properties" under "General" enter "Firefox" or any other text you would like to appear under the icon. Then directly under the word "General" you can click the little picture to change the icon image.

Hope this helps. I checked this on SUSE 9.0, but haven't tried it under other distros yet.

hey just noticed that in Mar/Apr Firefox will be out with a Linux Installer

BTW please check my edited post directly above for EASY icon integration.

GL

Oh, also, if you have a hi-res desktop, you'll probably want to go in to Firefox and change the minimum font size to 12-14pt. Might be a good idea for desktop too.