I was getting curious about the progress of the new GNOME-Shell (which will be part of GNOME 3.x), so I went to find how to install it in Arch Linux. It is, just like a number of things, available in the Arch User Repository (AUR), but I also found that there is an official package in the gnome-unstable repository. This post outlines how to add the gnome-unstable repository and install GNOME-Shell in Arch Linux
Repository
The first requirement for installing GNOME-Shell is the addition of the gnome-unstable repository. This can be done by adding the following to your /etc/pacman.conf:
[gnome-unstable]
Server = http://mirrors.kernel.org/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch/
You’ll notice I’m using mirrors.kernel.org, but you should be able to use your own preferred mirror.
Installation
Once you’ve added the repository, you can add the GNOME-Shell using the following command:
sudo pacman -Sy gnome-shell clutter
Usage
To launch GNOME-Shell (and replace your current environment for this session), run:
gnome-shell --replace
You should now be in GNOME Shell. Have fun playing with this, still in development, Desktop Environment.
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I was reinstalling Arch Linux just the other day and I noticed that, while my Desktop looked natural enough, my web browser fonts did not. I did some quick reading and found some of the fonts that seem to clear up the issue. If your fonts look a bit fuzzy, you’ll likely want to keep reading.
Arch Linux Fonts
To get a better all-around font experience, including the desktop and the web, I installed the following packages:
- ttf-droid
- ttf-liberation
- ttf-dejavu
- ttf-ms-fonts
To install all of these, simply run:
sudo pacman -S ttf-droid ttf-liberation ttf-dejavu ttf-ms-fonts
You may need to restart your browser, or even logout and log back in, but you should notice a change once these fonts are installed.
I’m happy to present the AUR Package of the Week, and also the first package of the new year! Today I thought I would showcase the old and trusted browser, Firefox, with a slight twist from the package available in the main repositories.
Installation
The version of Firefox available in the main repositories is distribution-restricted based on the Mozilla license. You may notice that the version you install is lacking the Firefox branding and name. Again, this is due to a clause in the license. The license say that while Firefox is Open Source software, the name and the branding are not. Unless you’ve made an agreement with Mozilla, it is outside of the license to distribute the browser along with the name and logo. It is fine, however, to get the source from Mozilla and retain the logo and other branding.
With that said, to install a branded Firefox browser use the command:
yaourt -S firefox-branded
Compilation
As is the case with many other packages in the AUR, this one will require compilation. I’ve found Firefox to take a bit of time to compile, but its not nearly as bad as some other packages. Your mileage may vary.
Conclusion
Firefox has long been the flagship of the free software world. I think this is changing with the release of so many other new (WebKit) browsers, but Firefox still retains the market lead. I have found that, while I have become a fan of Chrome, that Firefox is always dependable as a fall back browser.
This week, as we get ready to start a new year, I want to present Google-Chrome-Beta as the AUR package of the week. This is Google’s official Beta release of their browser.
Installing Google-Chrome-Beta
To install the Google Chrome Beta browser from AUR, use the following command from your favorite terminal:
yaourt -S google-chrome-beta
This will download and install the Google Chrome browser and create a menu entry.
Configuration
Configuring this browse, if you’ve never used Chrome before, is done by selecting “Options” from the configuration menu once the browser has launched. This is the icon furthest to the right, just beneath the address bar.
There isn’t a lot to configure, but there are enough options to let you personalize the browser. From cookie and password management, to themes and extensions, you should be able to find it all within that menu.
Troubleshooting & Comparison
I have been using this browser for months now and I haven’t had any issues, but if you do experience any you have a few options. You can, of course, fallback to another browser until an update is available. (This solution was more common previous to this browser becoming Beta quality.) You may also be interested in comparing the configuration differences in the Chrome Beta and Chromium browsers. Have a look at this link for those details.