I am going back to Mandriva 2008.0* but I want to install Firefox 3 (a recent version, not a release candidate). If possible I'd like to do it in an automated way, through the "Software Management" tool, or downloading an RPM file.

But the "Software Management" tool doesn't offer FF3 - is there a Firefox repository that I could add to let me do this?

Or, is there an RPM file for FF3? I couldn't find one with Google.

And if those options fail... I saw an article about Setting Up Synaptic And Apt-Get On Mandriva 2007 - I wondered if that would be a good way to do it.

Details:

I'm only semi-geeky, have been having lots of hassle, and need to be productive again - so I'm wary of playing with commands that i don't understand.

My plan is to run Firefox 3, and not run Firefox 2 at all.

I assume the settings from my current setup will carry over automatically (the home partition will be unchanged).


*due to wifi problems (my wireless card doesn't work well with the latest kernels which use Intel's updated and much buggier driver) and clashes with Skype. I'm going back to an OS I know and can use, with relatively minor bugs that I can usually avoid.

Many thanks!

you do not need to install firefox.

download it and unpack it.

Then on desktop (for RH person) rh click and create new application
the browse to where you unpacked it

the executable is called firefox.

eg mine is unpacked in home
so its
'/home/gordy/firefox/firefox'

----

let me know or others if you need more detailed explanation

So... it doesn't matter where I unpack it?

From what I read, there seemed to be some confusion, e.g. around how to ensure that Firefox 3 ran and not Firefox 2. I guess I could solve this by uninstalling Firefox 2 with the Software Management tool, before installing Firefox 3?

Thanks.


Btw, I managed to find an RPM file, using http://rpmfind.net/linux/RPM/ :

firefox-3.0.1-1mdv2008.1.i586.html - the RPM is firefox-3.0.1-1mdv2008.1.i586.rpm

Now, that's an RPM for Mandriva 2008.1 - would that be compatible with 2008.0?

Thank you!

Yes, just unpack it in your home directory, or wherever and use it from there.

You can always
unpack it in /usr/local or make a copy there, uninstall firefox2 that was bundled with mandriva through the manager, and put

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/firefox

in your .bashrc

or make a symbolic link as in

ln -s /usr/local/firefox/firefox firefox

in your home directory

or even make a file called fire, say

put

/usr/local/firefox/firefox

in it and then do

chmod u+x fire

so just type fire in a console.


Also, install a java runtime environment from an rpm

(easy to find) then find out where the libjavaplugin_oji.so file is,
then change to the firefox pligins directory and do

ln -s WHATEVER_PATH/libjavaplugin_oji.so

If you need flash or realplayer, these will just unpack shared object files (.so) and just physically copy them to the firefox pluguns directory, and that's it all set up!

You may also need to add the directory to your /etc/ld.so.conf, so that the shared library files are found. I guess you can either do that, or put those shared object files in one of the directories listed in /etc/ld.so.conf. The former was the way I did it. Remember, you'll need to run ldconfig after making changes to /etc/ld.so.conf.

Thanks for all of that... I do find this confusing (which is why I hoped to find an RPM instead) and this is what I meant by playing with commands that i don't understand. But if the RPM is really not an option, then I'll see if I can get help from a Linux coder I might be meeting tonight.

I have to say, I'm frustrated that Mozilla don't have RPMs on their site - it's very very far from intuitive to install, and there are no instructions. Which is not to deny that Firefox is an excellent product.

Thanks again.