How to Install Firefox on Linux

[Johnny]

Here is the method to install Firefox on Linux. We will also see how to add the main plugins.

1. First of all download Firefox from here to your home directory
2. Now open terminal and go to home directory: cd ~
3. Extract all contents of downloaded file: tar xjf firefox-*.tar.bz2
4. If Firefox is opened then close it
5. To start the Firefox, just run firefox script within firefox folder: ~/firefox/firefox

Add Packages

This is the simplest method. All distributions offer simplified installation of Firefox from packets. Depending on the version of Ubuntu, Firefox can be installed by default but may be missing some packages.

To do that open Synaptic (System - Administration - Synaptic Package Manager), click on "Search", enter "Firefox" and check if the packages are not installed. Among the packages, only firefox is essential. Firefox-gnome-support provides a better Gnome integration, flashplugin-nonfree is the flash plugin and java6 is java plugin that allows you to run some programs written in Java directly in your browser. Note that flashplugin-nonfree is, as its name suggests, a proprietary software. There is also a free version of flash but I have not tested that.

Firefox Setting

• Now you can make some changes in Firefox. Launch the browser, we'll change the default page. To do this, open the site that you want to see by default. Then click "Edit Preferences". In the category "General", click "Current Page" to save your default page. Note that you can open multiple tabs by default. For this, simply open them and do the same manipulation as above.
• You can delete bookmarks that you are not interested. For example in the "personal bar" you can possibly delete "Getting started" and "Latest Headlines" by a right-click and then "Delete". Or to delete the bookmarks by clicking on "Bookmarks" then "Organize Bookmarks" and remove any that do not interest you. The updates are frequent enough with Ubuntu and you will not have to manually install that.
• The easiest way to install software on Linux is to use the packages as described. But if you kept an old version of Ubuntu, you have perhaps not the latest version of Firefox available. Firefox also evolving so rapidly that the versions of the distributions were more or less delay. As the security of your computer depends greatly on the quality of your browser, it is better to update it quickly. So if you feel that your distribution does not react fast enough, you'll have to install it "manually".
• Download the Linux version of Firefox on Mozilla.com. Verify that the version offered by default on the site is the English version.
• Unzip the downloaded file (eg desktop). The procedure to decompress depends on the GUI (KDE, Gnome, ...). For Gnome, just right click and select "extract here". You will be shown a folder "firefox" (or folder containing the folder "Firefox", it depends on the decompression software used). Then copy the folder "firefox" in your home directory "/ home / yourname". You can also copy it elsewhere if you have permission to do so. A folder is often used as "/ opt". There is nothing else to do, the software is installed.

[Johnny]

Here's how to create a shortcut to avoid having to launch firefox by a command line:

1. Launch the application and go to "Main Menu" > "System - Preferences".
2. Click on the title menu where you want your shortcut (or create using the button "New Menu"). Then create the new shortcut by clicking on "New Item".
3. Enter a name for the application, eg "Firefox" or "Browser" and then specify the executable path: / home / yourname / firefox / firefox.
4. Change the icon by clicking the default icon. Click "Browse" and navigate in the tree to enter the folder / home / yourname / firefox / chrome / icons / default and click "open."
5. A choice of several icons appears. Select the one you like best and click OK.
6. You can also choose to put the shortcut on the desktop or taskbar. In this case we create a "launcher" by right clicking. The principle is identical to what has been described above, but we do not need to use "Main Menu". You can also simply a "right click" on the shortcut previously created and then "Add this launcher to panel".

[Johnny]

Extensions:

One can add many extensions to Firefox to give it new features. In Firefox, click "Tools, Add-ons". The tab "Extensions" shows the extensions already installed. The tab "Catalog" provides access to available extensions. You can use the search engine to find your favorite Extension or click "Browse all add-ons". You are then directed to the Mozilla site and you can choose to install extensions, organized by category. The installation is very simple. Once your extension selected, click the "Add to Firefox". Within seconds the extension is installed, it only remains to restart Firefox.

A few examples:

• FlashGot can download files with more options (such as downloading files of a web page).
• Web developer is very useful for developers of web pages.
• Gmail Notifier checks if you have mail on your gmail account.
• WiseStamp can add signatures in your webmail.

You can also install some extensions directly from Ubuntu packages. Search in Synaptic. For example you can install "Prism" that displays a web page as a software. For example if you listen to music online at the website then you create a launcher with Prism. Then you can run that outside the browser by clicking on a shortcut. Deezer will open in a separate window without menu bars of the browser. This will avoid cutting the music inadvertently closing all tabs in your browser. You can also install Mozilla-ImageZoom allowing you to zoom in on images with the right click of the mouse.