I installed "Opera for Linux" from the web. During the installation, I was asked if I wanted to include Opera in future updates, to which I answered 'yes'.

Now, when I go to Administration > Software Manager > Internet, Opera appears without the checkmark, which tells me that Opera is not installed!

What happened? Can I fix this?

Thanks, guys.

Did you install Opera outside of your package manager? Then your package manager won't know about it. Install software with your package manager if all possible. Or if you want, install software that you make yourself into a directory in $HOME. So that you don't mess up your file tree. Have you read Mint's docs?

teckk, I just noticed that I DID install outside of package manager. I went back to the site, and beneath where I clicked 'download', there's an option to download RPM package, which I did not click! Can I uninstall Opera and download again, this time selecting 'download RPM package'?

Well, the Opera website offers three packages for Linux: DEB, RPM, and Snap. Was it Snap that you installed previously? If you're on Linux Mint, you also can try DEB. But definitely not RPM: it's for RPM-based distros (Fedora/RHEL/CentOS/Oracle/Scientific, Mageia/OpenMandriva, OpenSuse, etc.)

RPM packages are generally used on Red Hat and derivaties so if you are still using Mint, that would probably not work well. You should use a .deb package on Mint if you don't download through apt or the Software Manager. There is software available to convert rpm2deb but if you can get a deb file that would be best.

https://www.tecmint.com/convert-from...e-using-alien/

Thank you!

What site are you talking about? Install software from your distros repository using your package manger. Read Mints docs on how to set up your repos if you need to.

Did you install something from a package that you downloaded from the internet? Don't do that. Did that package come with an uninstaller?

https://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php
https://www.linuxmint.com/documentat...glish_18.0.pdf

Looks like page 35 on that pdf talks about it.

Yes, I installed from an DEB package that I downloaded from the internet. I WAS able to uninstall it.

Now, I'm trying to install the version in the Software Manager, but it never loads!

Actually the proper place for external software that is not part of the distribution's package manager is in directory /opt. This is where you would install things such as Oracle Java and external web browsers.

If you install in /opt then you can do that if you have a reason to, such as software not being available in your package manager.

If you're running Mint, then I would suggest the following:

. On the command line, check if you have any Opera packages installed with:

Remove any such packages. If you don't know how to do this, report back with the output from the above command.

. Download the deb file from https://www.opera.com/computer/linux

. Run the above by double-clicking on it. This will install the opera-stable package while at the same time adding Opera's repository to your software sources so that it will be auto updated in the future any time your system checks for updates.

You should then be good to go. The reason that this version of Opera is preferable to the one in the repos already provided by Mint is that is updated more quickly, which is an important attribute for browsers.

I disagree. Normally you should prefer to install software included in the repos provides by your distro, but in this case the version in Opera's repos is fine (in my experience running it in Mint) and in fact is preferable due to its more timely updates (installing the deb auto adds the Opera repo to your software sources).

It is in many cases fine to install software that isn't included in your distro's repos. It just has to be done with knowledge and often with some care. In this case, all is good. Let's not scare off people from areas they do not need to be scared off from.

hydrurga, I performed the aforementioned:

Opera now APPEARS under Menu > Internet (and it works)!; however, it DOES NOT APPEAR in Menu > Administration > Software Manager > Internet.

Opera from the official website is fine. I've been building 'portable' packages from the .debs for the Puppy community for a while now.....in fact, I'm posting from the latest version right now.

Many people find they never want to go outside the official repositories, and always heed the distro maintainer's advice to the letter. And this makes for a very safe, stable experience. But hydrurga's right; it's perfectly okay to go outside of the official repos, so long as you do so with your eyes open, and know what you're getting yourself into.

AppImages, for instance, are becoming more and more commonly offered. You'll never find these in the 'official' repos, yet many work very well.

I will just say this; although we don't have a use for it in Puppy, remembering back to my own Mint days - some years ago, if I'm honest - I always found it better to install gDebi from the repos, then use that to install any .deb packages.....because it integrates with Synaptic, and pulls in any necessary dependencies. Debs don't always include everything that might be needed, and gDebi neatly gets around this by working with your package manager.

EDIT:- If you want to get Widevine/DRM working - for NetFlix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Spotify, etc - then follow the definitive steps to do so from these two sub-Reddits over at Reddit.com:-

https://www.reddit.com/r/operabrowse...bffmpeg_config

https://www.reddit.com/r/operabrowse...idevine_config

This works; I used these to set-up the new package just two days ago, when I built the most recent portable. Blame Opera's new Chinese owners for making the process unnecessarily complex; it's a wonder DRM has been added to Opera for Linux at all, given that the new owners have clearly stated that the majority of development will be going into the MyCrudSoft Whinedoze version....

The guys on the Opera Forums have been running around like headless chickens trying to get DRM working again for the last 2 ½ months, ever since Xmas; none of the 'usual' Chromium-based workarounds have given any joy this time round.


Mike.

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I don't use Mint but I would not expect it to appear there as you did not install it using the Software Manager.

I thought the same, based upon hydrurga's input; but it's there, and it works!