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Thread: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

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  1. #1

    HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    STOP! Before following the instructions in this howto, check to see if any important links or instructions have been updated on the InstallIceweasel wiki page.

    https://wiki.ubuntu.com/InstallIceweasel

    Additionally, if you have tweaks or suggestions for installing Iceweasel, the wiki page is a preferable place to put them. Thanks, all! -- 06/11/01

    Background

    This is a terribly simple howto for installing IceWeasel. With the recent unpleasantness between the Mozilla organizers and Debian (and ultimately, Ubuntu), some people have threatened to drop Firefox altogether from their machines.

    I won't get into the underlying issues or debate; if you've found your way to this page, you probably already know why you want it. However, there is a nice encapsulation of the issue at Firefox not really free? If you want to read more about the legal issues attached to using Firefox, the original Debian "bug report" is here.

    If you want more information than that, the subject has been discussed ad nauseum in the forums; search for "firefox" and chances are the top ten threads will all be about it.

    IceWeasel is a direct outgrowth of that spat, and you can find out all you want to know about the browser at the IceWeasel home page. (A quick note: Gnuzilla is the Mozilla suite, while IceWeasel is just the browser. I won't get into the suite for this howto; I'll leave that to someone else.

    This howto has been tried on Dapper and Edgy machines running straight Ubuntu, Xubuntu and Openbox, and the results are the same. Furthermore, I think you'll find that IceWeasel looks and behaves just like Firefox or Swiftfox, and that most -- if not all -- of your extensions work as well. Having said that, there is always the chance that it won't play nice with your hardware ... but really, having come this far, isn't worth trying? )

    Installation

    UPDATED 06/10/05: Kilz was kind enough to put up a .deb of IceWeasel, if you'd prefer to go that route. It's located here. Kilz also has a Iceweasel howto for 64-bit users here. Be sure to read those pages for any special installation instructions.

    Installing is as simple as downloading the compressed package, decompressing it and pointing your operating system at it. For a list of GNU FTP mirrors, look here: http://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html. Browse one of the mirrors and look for a gnuzilla folder, then a file called "iceweasel-1.5.0.4-g1-i386.tar.bz2". Remember that the version number could change; what you want is the i386 designation. I don't think there are versions for other architectures; that could change in the future.

    NOTE: As predicted, the version has jumped to 1.5.0.7. Kilz has updated his 1.5.0.7 package, and there's a new Iceweasel download page as well. ...

    However you get it, download it to your computer. Now, for terminal junkies, open a terminal and move to the folder where you put the file. Then ...

    Code:
    tar -xvf iceweasel* -C the_directory_where_you_want_iceweasel_installed
    If you decide to put it outside your own home directory, remember to use sudo before that command. Tar will decompress the package into a folder. Now might be a good time to rename that folder too, if you want it to be easier to type in the future.

    For GUI junkies, open the file with XArchiver, and tell it to extract the package.

    Making it the default

    Inside that folder is the iceweasel shell script -- it's called (of all things) "iceweasel." (Not iceweasel-bin. You don't want that one.) The trick now is setting your desktop to open that shell script by default.

    Personally, I'm an Openbox man, so for me it's as easy as opening ObMenu and changing the trigger line to point at the iceweasel shell script.

    For Xubuntu or XFCE fans, open Applications > System > Preferred Applications, and select Other. Browse to the iceweasel shell script.

    For Gnome, click System > Preferences > Preferred Applications. Change the Web browser option to point at the iceweasel shell script. (Sorry if I'm slightly off the mark on Gnome; I haven't used it in a while. )

    For KDE ... well, I'm not very familiar with KDE, and chances are if you're using KDE, you're a Konqueror fan. If someone can chime in on that, I'd appreciate the help.

    One last note: Remember that the "globe icon" on your desktop might or might not trigger your desktop's default browser. In that case, you'll have to change the properties of the icon and redirect it to the iceweasel shell script.

    Added 06/10/10: If you want an icon that you think better reflects the name "Iceweasel," there's a wiki page chock full of ideas that you can try. Grab your favorite and click to your heart's delight!

    I think that's about it. You can now surf with a clear conscience. If you like it and decide to stick with it, a quick note of thanks to the folks who made it would be a nice thing to do.

    ADDED: 06/10/05

    If you're having trouble with browser identification -- in other words, sites block your access because you're "not using Firefox" -- try this:

    1. Open "about:config" in IceWeasel's address bar.
    2. In the "Filter" box, type general.useragent.extra.firefox.
    3. Where you see the word "Iceweasel", right-click and pick "Modify"
    4. Then replace the word "Iceweasel" with "Firefox".
    5. Close the page (or the tab).

    "Masquerading" your browser like that simply prevents the host site from telling you you're not using Firefox. Aside from that, it should have no effect whatsoever on your collective Internet experience. Of course, if it doesn't work, let us know.

    ADDED: 06/10/10 A corrected link to the Gnuzilla download page and the link to the wiki.
    Last edited by K.Mandla; November 1st, 2006 at 05:52 PM. Reason: Added mention of the InstallIceweasel page in the wiki.
    Ubuntu user #7247 :: Linux user #409907
    inconsolation.wordpress.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Distro
    Gutsy Gibbon Testing

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    to add....you can also associate your mozilla plugin directory w/ iceweasel...in the syntax:
    Code:
    ln -s /path/to/mozilla/plugins ~/.gnuzilla/
    if you have firefox installed, you can do it w/ this command:
    Code:
    ln -s /usr/lib/firefox/plugins ~/.gnuzilla/

  3. #3

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    Quote Originally Posted by stateq2 View Post
    to add....you can also associate your mozilla plugin directory w/ iceweasel...in the syntax:
    Code:
    ln -s /path/to/mozilla/plugins ~/.gnuzilla/
    if you have firefox installed, you can do it w/ this command:
    Code:
    ln -s /usr/lib/firefox/plugins ~/.gnuzilla/
    Thanks! I knew there was something I had forgotten. Cheers!
    Ubuntu user #7247 :: Linux user #409907
    inconsolation.wordpress.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Beans
    272
    Distro
    Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    Quote Originally Posted by stateq2 View Post
    to add....you can also associate your mozilla plugin directory w/ iceweasel...in the syntax:
    Code:
    ln -s /path/to/mozilla/plugins ~/.gnuzilla/
    if you have firefox installed, you can do it w/ this command:
    Code:
    ln -s /usr/lib/firefox/plugins ~/.gnuzilla/

    The second line of code got flash working in Iceweasel for me, which is a HUGE help. The most amazing part of all is that now flash audio and video are actually IN SYNCH. Thanks!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    olathe, ks, usa
    Beans
    50
    Distro
    Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    I don't know why I didn't think to just type that in the terminal. I must have been having a brain freeze. Anyway, I tried both of those lines and they didn't work. But I did do a little jigging and...Flash is now working fine in IceWeasel. So thanks for all of your help everyone.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    733
    Distro
    Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    Can someone help me figure out why Iceweasel is not staying as either the default webbrowser and the default web browser in Sytem->Preferences->Preferred Applications?
    Every time i start it says its not the default webbvrowser i disbled checking in firefox, as for the Preferred Applications it gets reset every reboot to /usr/local/bin/Iceweasel/firefox %s

    Which is weird

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    NH, USA
    Beans
    49
    Distro
    Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    Hi all,

    Earlier in this thread I was wondering about replacing the ugly icon in the title bar to the left. I figured it out:

    Code:
    sudo mkdir /usr/local/Iceweasel/chrome/icons
    sudo mkdir /usr/local/Iceweasel/chrome/icons/default
    sudo cp /usr/share/pixmaps/iceweasel32.png /usr/local/Iceweasel/chrome/icons/default/default.xpm
    That's it! It should be there!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    hacking on my Debian box
    Beans
    1,305

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    Wouldn't a wiki page make much more sense than this thread? Thus anybody could edit it instead of just the original poster (K.Mandla). Threads are good for discussions, wiki pages for instructions.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    USA
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    277
    Distro
    Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr

    Talking Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    Quote Originally Posted by K.Mandla View Post
    Background

    This is a terribly simple howto for installing IceWeasel. With the recent unpleasantness between the Mozilla organizers and Debian (and ultimately, Ubuntu), some people have threatened to drop Firefox altogether from their machines.

    I won't get into the underlying issues or debate; if you've found your way to this page, you probably already know why you want it. However, there is a nice encapsulation of the issue at Firefox not really free? If you want to read more about the legal issues attached to using Firefox, the original Debian "bug report" is here.

    If you want more information than that, the subject has been discussed ad nauseum in the forums; search for "firefox" and chances are the top ten threads will all be about it.

    IceWeasel is a direct outgrowth of that spat, and you can find out all you want to know about the browser at the IceWeasel home page. (A quick note: Gnuzilla is the Mozilla suite, while IceWeasel is just the browser. I won't get into the suite for this howto; I'll leave that to someone else.

    This howto has been tried on Dapper and Edgy machines running straight Ubuntu, Xubuntu and Openbox, and the results are the same. Furthermore, I think you'll find that IceWeasel looks and behaves just like Firefox or Swiftfox, and that most -- if not all -- of your extensions work as well. Having said that, there is always the chance that it won't play nice with your hardware ... but really, having come this far, isn't worth trying? )

    Installation

    UPDATED 06/10/05: Kilz was kind enough to put up a .deb of IceWeasel, if you'd prefer to go that route. It's located here. Kilz also has a Iceweasel howto for 64-bit users here. Be sure to read those pages for any special installation instructions.

    Installing is as simple as downloading the compressed package, decompressing it and pointing your operating system at it. For a list of GNU FTP mirrors, look here: http://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html. Browse one of the mirrors and look for a gnuzilla folder, then a file called "iceweasel-1.5.0.4-g1-i386.tar.bz2". Remember that the version number could change; what you want is the i386 designation. I don't think there are versions for other architectures; that could change in the future.

    I did notice that some of the mirrors didn't have a gnuzilla folder; it might be that it's too new. Here's one that's working (at USC in California, I think): ftp://mirrors.usc.edu/pub/gnu/gnuzilla. Again, grab the i386 file.

    If you just want a direct link, click here (7072 KB). Remember that if the packages are updated, that link might not work.

    However you get it, download it to your computer. Now, for terminal junkies, open a terminal and move to the folder where you put the file. Then ...

    Code:
    tar -xvf iceweasel* -C the_directory_where_you_want_iceweasel_installed
    If you decide to put it outside your own home directory, remember to use sudo before that command. Tar will decompress the package into a folder. Now might be a good time to rename that folder too, if you want it to be easier to type in the future.

    For GUI junkies, open the file with XArchiver, and tell it to extract the package.

    Making it the default

    Inside that folder is the iceweasel shell script -- it's called (of all things) "iceweasel." (Not iceweasel-bin. You don't want that one.) The trick now is setting your desktop to open that shell script by default.

    Personally, I'm an Openbox man, so for me it's as easy as opening ObMenu and changing the trigger line to point at the iceweasel shell script.

    For Xubuntu or XFCE fans, open Applications > System > Preferred Applications, and select Other. Browse to the iceweasel shell script.

    For Gnome, click System > Preferences > Preferred Applications. Change the Web browser option to point at the iceweasel shell script. (Sorry if I'm slightly off the mark on Gnome; I haven't used it in a while. )

    For KDE ... well, I'm not very familiar with KDE, and chances are if you're using KDE, you're a Konqueror fan. If someone can chime in on that, I'd appreciate the help.

    One last note: Remember that the "globe icon" on your desktop might or might not trigger your desktop's default browser. In that case, you'll have to change the properties of the icon and redirect it to the iceweasel shell script.

    I think that's about it. You can now surf with a clear conscience. If you like it and decide to stick with it, a quick note of thanks to the folks who made it would be a nice thing to do.

    ADDED: 06/10/05

    If you're having trouble with browser identification -- in other words, sites block your access because you're "not using Firefox" -- try this:

    1. Open "about:config" in IceWeasel's address bar.
    2. In the "Filter" box, type general.useragent.extra.firefox.
    3. Where you see the word "Iceweasel", right-click and pick "Modify"
    4. Then replace the word "Iceweasel" with "Firefox".
    5. Close the page (or the tab).

    "Masquerading" your browser like that simply prevents the host site from telling you you're not using Firefox. Aside from that, it should have no effect whatsoever on your collective Internet experience. Of course, if it doesn't work, let us know.
    Thanks for .deb file I am using it right now. So is Ubuntu take the same route as Debian and starting using IceWeasel so are they going to stick with Firefox with current icon?
    Yeah I know pirated copy of XP is free, but so is Ubuntu and it's LEGAL!

  10. #10

    Re: HOWTO: Install IceWeasel Web browser in Dapper or Edgy

    To be honest, I have heard nothing new on the issue. This article suggests Debian developers are teaming up with the Iceweasel crew, and my own stream of logic says if Debian ships a new browser -- whether it's called Iceweasel or Freefox or what have you -- Ubuntu will pick it up. That's just my guess, though.
    Ubuntu user #7247 :: Linux user #409907
    inconsolation.wordpress.com

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