Hi,

1) I installed firefox in root, does it means all my users will be able to use firefox?

2) By default, the directory firefox prompt me to install to is /root/firefox-installer, is it correct? ( I downloaded, extract and install from the directory /root/firefox-installer )
So now its like the setup files and installation files are in the same directory. By right, where should firefox be installed to?

3) After installing firefox, it did not appear in the menu, is there any other way to access it?

4) How do I uninstall some of the unnecessary programs thats installed during the installing of Linux? (e.g. those under development tools)

Thanks

1) I don't think so, as only root should be able to access /root. I suggest installing Firefox to /usr/local/firefox or /opt/firefox.

2) See above. I think you possibly downloaded the installer file to /root, so it unzipped it to /root/firefox-installed.

3) Create a symbolic link in /usr/bin.
You can also create a launcher in the menu or on the deskotp. The command to execute is simply "firefox" if you created a symbolic link.

4) What distro are you using? If it is redhat, use the Add/Remove Programs in the menu. You could also list the programs using the RPM utility. I think the commands are: See "man rpm" for more information.
Other distros have different methods.

A note of caution about the development tools - these include gcc and make. If you remove them, you won't be able to install any programs from source.

I hope this helps
--Ian

1) So how do I uninstall the firefox that was installed to my root directory?

2) What difference is there if I were to install to /usr/local ? Available to all users?

3) Oh, those files inside /bin directory is actually commands which are executable by just typing the file name?

4) err... I'm using Slackware 9.1 currently.

5) Regarding the symbolic link, I've done that. But after typing firefox in console, how do I return to the prompt? Currently, after I've typed the command, firefox browser will come out but the command is still there. I need to ctrl+c to return to prompt, but my browser will close at the same time.

Thanks

1) So how do I uninstall the firefox that was installed to my root directory?
Just delete the directory, using "rm -fr directoryName". This won't hurt anything, as it is all installed in one place and not scattered around like Windows

2) What difference is there if I were to install to /usr/local ? Available to all users?
Yes. You will however, still need to create a symbolic link, as /usr/local/firefox is not in users path.

3) Oh, those files inside /bin directory is actually commands which are executable by just typing the file name?
yep. /bin is for system commands like ls, rm .. /usr/bin is for user added commands, such as firefox.

5) Regarding the symbolic link, I've done that. But after typing firefox in console, how do I return to the prompt? Currently, after I've typed the command, firefox browser will come out but the command is still there. I need to ctrl+c to return to prompt, but my browser will close at the same time.
When you run a command type & at the end of the line. This send the job to the background and you will get a prompt back.
.
If you didn't do this, press Ctrl-Z to send a job to the backround. This will make the window stop responding. Then type "jobs" to findout the job number, and "bg jobNumber" to send the job into the background.

I hope this helps
--Ian

How about /sbin and /usr/sbin? When do we use that?

I never had to install FireFox I just downloaded it extracted it to the /opt and then for every user I right clicked on the desktop -> create launcher (in slack) or creat launcher (suse)

where it says what command to run click browse goto /opt/firefox -> then just select the file called firefox then click apply and ok

Now there should be an Icon on your desktop and if you click on it firefox should start right up

What is the directory /opt for?

I used opt like program files in windows...it just for optional programs that you install...mine has firefox, thunderbird, openoffice, Mplayer and a few others.

/sbin and /usr/sbin are executables for root.

They include shutdown, fsck, etc.
You shouldn't really touch these, as they are not in a normal users path.

opt == optional

--Ian

Does anybody know what the Firefox installer actually does though? To remove Firefox that was installed with the firefox installer, is it still just a matter of deleting the firefox directory?

just delete the directory, and firefox is gone....

I found out that adsl-setup, adsl-start etc are in /usr/sbin. If its in the /sbin, how would my users able to connect to the internet?

Any idea if firefox has its own icon? Just created a symbolic link, but wanna change to firefox icon (if there is any).

btw, I just installed OpenOffice to /opt. How do I let my users access the program? Doing the symbolic link?

Firefox icon is <firefoxInstallationDirectory>/icons/mozicon50.xpm
where <firefocInstallationDirectory> is wherever you installed it...

You should be able to make symbolic links to swriter, scalc,... just make sure that you also make a link to soffice as well in the same directory.

I hope this helps
--Ian

hmm... I have already symbolic link my firefox executable to /usr/bin. But when I try to access it with my user account, it could not load.