Enhanced Linux

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.