Installing Thunderbird on Debian Squeeze

adocholiday · 02-22-2012, 05:33 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm completely new to Linux and haven't a clue what I'm doing! I'm trying to install Thunderbird on Debian Squeeze. I downloaded the package from the mozilla site and extracted all of the files to a thunderbird file in my home directory.

What do I do now? I can't find an installer. I know that .exe files are for windows but I'm hopelessly lost with this!

jhwilliams · 02-22-2012, 05:46 PM

In Debian, it's called icedove -- same thing, but with out the proprietary branding.

You can just do this, on the command line:

Code:

sudo aptitude install icedove

adocholiday · 02-22-2012, 05:53 PM

I get an error message saying that my username is not in the sudo directory and that the incident will be reported?? I'm the system admin!

EDDY1 · 02-22-2012, 09:20 PM

As jhwilliams said icedove is thunderbird & it's available thru Synaptic Package Manager or apt-get. You can however install the real thunderbird if you'd like.
You'll either have to setup the sudoers account or use root. It would be safer to edit /etc/sudoers & use it.

Dark_Helmet · 02-22-2012, 09:48 PM

You probably already have icedove installed. Assuming you are using Gnome, from the top menu select:
Applications -> Internet -> Icedove Mail/News

If it's not there, install it with synaptic. From the top menu select:

System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager

You'll be asked to authorize. Enter the password you gave during install for the root account.

In the window that opens, there is a search box in the upper-right corner. If it says "rebuilding search index" then wait a few moments/minutes for it to finish. Then type "icedove" in the search text box. In a moment or two, the section immediately below the search box will update its contents to show all the packages that match. There should be an entry with just plain "icedove" in the first column. Left-click the box next to the name and in the small menu that appears choose "Mark for installation." There should be a button near the top of the window showing a green check-mark labeled "Apply" that is now enabled. Left-click it, and approve the changes in the confirmation window that appears.

Side note:
The reason it's "icedove" in Debian and not Thunderbird is because the maintainers of Debian did not want to package Thunderbird exactly as it is released. The reason is only because of "branding." That is, some of the artwork and the name itself (I believe) are trademarked or otherwise restricted in their use. The same is true for Firefox. In Debian, the non-branded version of Firefox is Iceweasel. The programs are otherwise identical aside from the images and/or names.

Quote:

I get an error message saying that my username is not in the sudo directory and that the incident will be reported?? I'm the system admin!

Yeah, Debian does not set up sudo. That's more of an Ubuntu thing.

And setting up sudo is not something I would suggest for a new Linux user like yourself (no offense to you--or EDDY1 for suggesting setting it up). For a new user, the syntax is not intuitive and the man page for the sudoers file will likely be clear as mud.

craigevil · 02-22-2012, 10:48 PM

The problem you will run into is most extensions from Mozilla will not install in Icedove because it is just too old. Even in sid it is 2 versions behind the Mozilla Thunderbird release.

Download Thunderbird, extract, then as root copy the Icedove.desktop in /usr/share/applications, change the name to Thunderbird, the Exec= line to where the Thunderbird bin is located, and the icon. You can then use the Gnome Settings to make Thunderbird your default email client. I use the current release version of Thunderbird which is 10.0.2 the same as Firefox.

my thunderbird.desktop file

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Categories=Network;Email;News;GTK;
Comment[en_US]=Read/Write Mail/News with Thunderbird
Comment=Read/Write Mail/News with Thunderbird
Exec=/home/craig/Downloads/thunderbird/thunderbird %u
GenericName[en_US]=Mail Client
GenericName=Mail Client
Icon=/home/craig/Downloads/thunderbird/chrome/icons/default/default32.png
MimeType=message/rfc822;
Name[en_US]=Thunderbird Mail/News
Name=Thunderbird Mail/News
Path=
StartupNotify=true
StartupWMClass=Thunderbird-bin
Terminal=false
TerminalOptions=
Type=Application
X-DBUS-ServiceName=
X-DBUS-StartupType=
X-KDE-SubstituteUID=false
X-KDE-Username=
X-MultipleArgs=false

EDDY1 · 02-22-2012, 11:29 PM

I was trying to figure out why icedove hasn't been opening links in my firefox browser.

craigevil · 02-22-2012, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDDY1

I was trying to figure out why icedove hasn't been opening links in my firefox browser.

1) Thunderbird > Edit > Preferences > Attachments > content type for "http" shows "Always ask" > click the arrow and select "Delete Action"
2) Next time you click a link it asks you to choose an application. Select /usr/bin/firefox and click "Remember my choice for http links"

There is also a gconf setting you may need to edit if you are running Gnome.

EDDY1 · 02-23-2012, 12:36 AM

Thanks craigevil I just installed thunderbird 10.0.2 after I setup my account I'll make that changes also.
I never paid attention to the fact that icedove is only at 8.
At OP as soon as I'm done I'll post how I installed.

EDDY1 · 02-23-2012, 01:18 AM

As craigevil says you don't have to put in opt, unless you want for all users.
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=68140
@craigevil it worked like a charm Than you
@adocholiday you have to do it as root or sudo
The real thunderbird image is missing