I have a problem in that I can't get any updates for Firefox 1.5.0.5. If I look under "Help" - "Check for updates" is blank. (that is to say I can't select it)
Now also if I go to Preferences - Advanced - Update and look at Automatically check for updates to: the Firefox box cannot be selected. Installed Extensions and Themes, Search Engines, those can be selected.
If anyone has any ideas as to the problem and how I could fix it, I would appreciate some help. I am running Kubuntu Dapper, with KDE 3.5.3

Try running firefox after logging as root and then try and update. Maybe the update options are not available as a normal user

It appears that in the Ubuntu/Kubuntu distro's that has been blocked out, so that you do the updates via "Adept" so no auto update, this is what I have found out so far.

As sandeepnatu mentioned, that's because Firefox has been installed "per admin", and not "per user".

You will receive an update via the regular Ubuntu updates when the Ubuntu distributors think it's time. - That's OK.

- Alternatively, you can always download Firefox to your home folder, and use it from there. That copy of Firefox should be updated independantly of the Linux distribution. - Anyways, my recommendation is, just leave it as is - Ubuntu handles the updates smart and safe.

I guess I wasn't clear enough in my last reply, I shall as you suggest "robbbert" leave it as is. I am new to Kubuntu, yet the few weeks that I have been running it I am (as a newbie) quite impressed in how the distro handles all manner of updates.
Again thank you for your time to all.

Thanks for trusting in the (K)Ubuntu distribution. It's actually not the worst thing to put faith in.

@robbert:You will receive an update via the regular Ubuntu updates when the Ubuntu distributors think it's time. - That's OK.

Robert I thought ubuntu does NOT support updates for firefox, or open office and we users must update it on our own.

Version 1.5.0.7 is out and it's still not available, nor 2.0.3 for oppenoffice.

I'm not an ubuntu guru so bear with me if I seem lost

You'll probably need to wait until the Ubuntu guys think it's time to upgrade (and they have the time and resources).

You can always download any version of Firefox or OpenOffice, install, and run it. However, that won't be your default system browser or Office application.

Well, that's how it is. - If you're choosing a distribution like "the very stable" Debian Sarge, your applications will be 1-2 years old - but, rock-stable. Using Ubuntu, they're (at maximum) 1/2 year old.

- You can always install anything, but then, you need to integrate it into the system, yourself (i.e., making the newly installed browser the system-default browser).
Haha - Just leave it as is, guru-bear.

I for one having just started using Kubuntu, will stay with the tried and true, (that is when the Ubuntu guru's think it is time to update). I will update. This is from a newbie who thinks this is a great distro, it has all that I am looking for and is stable. I am sure there will be those who disagree, however for me it does all that I need it to do right now, and then some.

If you feel like experimenting you can add this line to etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ sid main

And after a reload the latest version exist in Synaptic or APT. But I'm not sure if Firefox on Ubuntu is modified so then you might break you system.

just a follow up, I put in this swiftfox, and i686 optimized firefox based on the latest from firefox...wow is it fast!

...the Swiftfox build is the way to go! (IMHO) I have installed Swiftfox in Edgy and use it as my default and I find it to be much more responsive than Firefox.

anyone know what the deal is with the firefox 1.5.0.8 update?? i mean, 1.5.0.8 was released almost two weeks ago, yet ubuntu's still on 1.5.0.7... and this is even though there was a USN issued: http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-381-1 anyone know what's going on?? does it usually take the ubuntu team this long to test security updates (assuming that's the issue)??

UPDATE: looks like someone else just asked about this at ubuntuforums.org: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=302762 - hopefully someone there might provide some insight as to what the situation is...

well, looks like ubuntu's firefox 1.5.0.8 was FINALLY rolled-out today...

geez, it was about time...

When FF 2.0 came out I downloaded it, extracted it to /home/user/.mozilla/firefox2 and have been running it from there ever since. I just removed the links to the older one, put a shortcut on my menu bar for FF 2.0 I also copied the flash 9 plugin from one to the other and it too is working fine.

This is one method, might not be the cleanest in some eyes, but I don't have a problem with it at all.

Also version 6.10 (edgy eft) since it is using bleeding edge technology comes with firefox version 2 already.