Unable to build package for GNU icecat45.5.1, asking for python 2.7 or above
 

The TEHNOETIC laptop shipped with icecat 10. Many websites are complaining that the browser is outdated. Downloaded the icecat45.5.1.tar.bz2 from fsf.org and converted it to .gz format
Followed the instructions on the webpage to build the package.
It is asking for python 2.7 or above, but my laptop has python2.6.9
Is it not possible to build this package?

bash-4.2$ ./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --infodir=/usr/info --mandir=/usr/man
which: no python2.7 in (/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games:.:/usr/share/java/apache-ant/bin:/opt/jdk/bin:/opt/jdk/jre/bin)
./configure: eval: line 102: syntax error near unexpected token `('
./configure: eval: line 102: `Python 2.7 or above (but not Python 3) is required to run mach.'
bash-4.2$

No, if the configuration script explicitly asks for a particular version of an ancillary program, you need to have that version installed. Especially for a Mozilla build, which uses python a lot in its early stages.

In your place I would try to build an earlier version of Icecat. The jump from 10 to 45 is huge; there must be intermediate versions that would compile with your python and would still be a great improvement on your present setup. Just build the latest that you can.

I used to use Dragora. I gave it up partly because the software was so outdated.

I am not a Dragora user, but on their site there are instructions on how to install two Python versions on Dragora 2.2 [0]. Or you could also try to install a Python distribution [1] (although it might ship with non-free software, which would obviously defeat the purpose of Dragora). Or you could also just change the useragent of your browser to see if that helps. Create a user.js file and add it to your profile:

Although I am not sure whether that option is available in GNU Icecat 10.

[0] https://dragora.org/repo.fsl/doc/tru...honversions.md
[1] https://www.atlantic.net/community/h...ntos-anaconda/

On irc, it was suggested that firefox45ESR can be downloaded and used, ofcourse, without enabling the non-free add-on's. At the moment, done that and using the firefoxESR.
Looks like building the latest icecat is out of the question for now.
Thanks for the replies