[SOLVED] PDF Reader

[muungwana]

Thanks Crow & Just17. Have installed Okular and it works perfectly.

Don't want to seem a pain but could someone answer the other part of the question. If one downloads a non-repository file with a file-type of perhaps .deb, .bin, .rpm and tar.bz2, what are the processes to install them?

Thats a bit advance question.
Files that starts with .deb extension are debian packages,this is an rpm distro so you cant just install them.
One way to work with them is to convert them using a program called "alien" i think to an rpm and then install it.Of all the dangerous things you could do to your system,this one probably among the top 3.

You could also extract them(using ark for example) to see what the package contain,depending on what it contains,you may simply find the executable in the extracted folder and run it.You would have to do to run it depends on whats in it and the dangers mentioned above also depends on whats in the folder.

Files with .run extension are usually self extracting archives,a package of some sort.They usually self extract and then auto installs themselves.These are executables,you just run them like any other program and they will take it from there.

Files that starts with .rpm are rpm packages.They can be used to install programs using rpm program.PClinuxos is an rpm based distro so if you are to install a package from out of repos,an rpm package will be the package to choose.RPM packages are installed using a program called "rpm".

Files that starts with .tar.bz2 or .tar.bz or .xz are source code packages.There packages are used to distribute source code.The above mentioned packages distribute prebuild/binary files.These packages distribute source code to be build locally.If you want to compile programs yourself,these are the packages to get,if you want prebuild packages,above mentioned are what you should get.How you build them depends on what they contain,instructions are usually given inside.

[Archie]

We'll leave you to your own trials and errors but you must at least know that not all rpms are compatible. Simple applications might squeeze right through but there are risks that you could run into dependency problems or even incompatible libs. But it's best that you find that out for yourself. You'll need to remember one thing though. Installing from outside sources will disqualify your install from forum support.

[wedgetail]

Rebecca_D
Just qurious, how come you had Seamonkey installed, to me it is an usual choice in PCLinuxOS? 

[Crow]

I'm glad it worked, maybe you should wait a little before installing outside repos because it may damage your system and people won't be able to help you since it is difficult to know the changes an external program does.

Eventually you will get there    most of us do it at some point. Those of us lacking enough confidence first try the packages in a Virtual Box install (think of it as PCLOS inside PCLOS), if something is broken in the process nothing is lost.

In the meantime maybe you may like to know better the DE (Desktop Environment), know the language and the possibilities, for that you could read the magazine http://pclosmag.com/index.html there are lots of info there.

[Rebecca_D]

Thanks again for all the useful information and help. To answer wedgetall's query,

Just qurious, how come you had Seamonkey installed, to me it is an usual choice in PCLinuxOS?

I assume you meant 'unusual', but have been using it for years and very happy with it. As it was in the repos I installed it.

But this is why I asked the question about other file-types. Currently the repos distro of Seamonkey is 2.6.1 whilst the latest distro is 2.13.2. I've added my name to this being upgraded (http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,104871.0.html) but in the meantime I have downloaded the tar.bz2 from the Mozilla site. Having unpacked it I am still a bit lost as to what I do next. Any suggestions apart from moving to Firefox and Thunderbird!!!

[Just17]

Thanks again for all the useful information and help. To answer wedgetall's query,

Just qurious, how come you had Seamonkey installed, to me it is an usual choice in PCLinuxOS?

I assume you meant 'unusual', but have been using it for years and very happy with it. As it was in the repos I installed it.

But this is why I asked the question about other file-types. Currently the repos distro of Seamonkey is 2.6.1 whilst the latest distro is 2.13.2. I've added my name to this being upgraded (http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,104871.0.html) but in the meantime I have downloaded the tar.bz2 from the Mozilla site. Having unpacked it I am still a bit lost as to what I do next. Any suggestions apart from moving to Firefox and Thunderbird!!!

My question would be .....  is there something in the updated version that you must have? ...  a new functionality or such .....

If not you might be best advised to wait for the PCLOS repository version to be updated 

[YouCanToo]

I newly come from Windows so need help to understand the idiosyncrasies of Linux. I need to install a PDF plugin for my browser (Mozilla Seamonkey) and under Windows that was a straightforward installation of Adobe Reader. I have tried to search for such through Synaptic but can find nothing obvious, but with the way Linux names packages that can be hard for a newcomer.

Going to the Adobe site shows that there are a number of downloads suitable for Linux, but they have file-types such as .deb, .bin, .rpm and tar.bz2. I don't know which would be appropriate and even if I did, I do not know how I then install them. Your wisdom and patience appreciated.  

I have PCLOS KDE installed.

Rebecca

Adobe Reader plugin is in synaptic and there is FoxitReader and Ocular is installed by default.

It is always recommended to only install software through Synaptic. If all else fails just ask, before seeking installing software from outside the official repositories.

[Rebecca_D]

Hi Just17. Yes there is a reason. v2.6.1. does not support Novell Moonlight (equiv to Silverlight for Windows) which is used on some on-demand film sites that I use.

[Just17]

Hi Just17. Yes there is a reason. v2.6.1. does not support Novell Moonlight (equiv to Silverlight for Windows) which is used on some on-demand film sites that I use.

Is Moonlight still going?  I thought it was long since dead.

That's good news if it is being kept current 

[YouCanToo]

Thanks again for all the useful information and help. To answer wedgetall's query,

Just qurious, how come you had Seamonkey installed, to me it is an usual choice in PCLinuxOS?

I assume you meant 'unusual', but have been using it for years and very happy with it. As it was in the repos I installed it.

But this is why I asked the question about other file-types. Currently the repos distro of Seamonkey is 2.6.1 whilst the latest distro is 2.13.2. I've added my name to this being upgraded (http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,104871.0.html) but in the meantime I have downloaded the tar.bz2 from the Mozilla site. Having unpacked it I am still a bit lost as to what I do next. Any suggestions apart from moving to Firefox and Thunderbird!!!

It appears that Archie is having problem(s) making the package for synaptic. Please try to be patient while he works out the build problem(s).

[muungwana]

Thanks again for all the useful information and help. To answer wedgetall's query,

Just qurious, how come you had Seamonkey installed, to me it is an usual choice in PCLinuxOS?

I assume you meant 'unusual', but have been using it for years and very happy with it. As it was in the repos I installed it.

But this is why I asked the question about other file-types. Currently the repos distro of Seamonkey is 2.6.1 whilst the latest distro is 2.13.2. I've added my name to this being upgraded (http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,104871.0.html) but in the meantime I have downloaded the tar.bz2 from the Mozilla site. Having unpacked it I am still a bit lost as to what I do next. Any suggestions apart from moving to Firefox and Thunderbird!!!

you can use the version from that website safely, just download the version you want,extract it using ark or any other extracting program,enter the extracted folder,click the "seamonkey" executable and it will start up and you can safely start using it.

If you prefer,you can move the extracted folder to someplace else more convenient and then create a shortcut in your menu to refer to it and use if from there in the mean time while you are waiting for the version in the repository.

Usually, .tar.bz2 contain source code requiring first to be build but what they have at their website is a prebuild binary package and all files are contained within the same folder,the package is harmless and it wont put your system in danger of anything.You can safely use it.

The problematic packages are those that ship with system libraries and install themselves in "/usr/lib".They are a problem because they may replace system libraries or libraries other program depend on with incompatible ones,or with buggy ones.

[Rebecca_D]

For Just17

Is Moonlight still going?  I thought it was long since dead.

Yes http://go-mono.com/moonlight/

Thanks for the heads up YouCanToo. I will try to be patient

Thanks for the process muungwana. Will set to and do it. Just one other question (groan!). Do I need to uninstall the current program or will doing this overwrite it?

You've all been great

[muungwana]

The program is self contained within the extracted folder,it will not copy any file anywhere and hence your distro managed installed version and any other program and library are safe from it.

You are attempting to run an updated program,it may change its configuration files in your home directory in non compatible ways and it may not be easy to move back and forth btw this "personal" updated version and the distro provided older version.

Its probably safe to save a copy of your .seamonkey folder before starting up the updated version just in case but to the most part,you should have a safe use of the updated "personal" version.

[Just17]

For Just17

Is Moonlight still going?  I thought it was long since dead.

Yes http://go-mono.com/moonlight/

Access to licensed Media Codecs (MP3, WMV, VC-1) is provided by Microsoft to Moonlight 1.0 and 2.0 users.

Be aware that many sites require more recent silverlight API/functionality, and will not work with Moonlight 2.

Silverlight is now at version 5 ......  but I guess *some* functionality is better than none ......

There was a preview of Moonlight 4 very early last year .......  but I understood development stopped and Moonlight 4 was never finished.
Moonlight 2 was the only stable version released - in early 2010 IIRC

So, yes it appears to me that Moonlight is a very dead project.


Ah!  Found this .......

In December 2011 Miguel de Icaza announced that work on Moonlight had stopped with no future plans. He explained that, although there was always some bloat, complication and over-engineering in the Silverlight vision, Microsoft had "cut the air supply" to it by omitting cross-platform components, making it web-only plugin, and including Windows-only features.

So, although you can still get some benefit from Moonlight 2 (it appears) don't depend on it for the future.  

[Bald Brick]

For Just17

Is Moonlight still going?  I thought it was long since dead.

Yes http://go-mono.com/moonlight/

Access to licensed Media Codecs (MP3, WMV, VC-1) is provided by Microsoft to Moonlight 1.0 and 2.0 users.

Be aware that many sites require more recent silverlight API/functionality, and will not work with Moonlight 2.

Silverlight is now at version 5 ......  but I guess *some* functionality is better than none ......

There was a preview of Moonlight 4 very early last year .......  but I understood development stopped and Moonlight 4 was never finished.
Moonlight 2 was the only stable version released - in early 2010 IIRC

So, yes it appears to me that Moonlight is a very dead project.


Ah!  Found this .......

In December 2011 Miguel de Icaza announced that work on Moonlight had stopped with no future plans. He explained that, although there was always some bloat, complication and over-engineering in the Silverlight vision, Microsoft had "cut the air supply" to it by omitting cross-platform components, making it web-only plugin, and including Windows-only features.

So, although you can still get some benefit from Moonlight 2 (it appears) don't depend on it for the future.  

I haven't got any benefit from it for a year and a half.

The plugin was last updated in April last year, long before Miguel de Icaza's announcement. The last version worked well for a couple of months on Firefox -- or until a browser update broke it. With some tweaking I managed to prolong its life a bit, but even if you manage to get it installed these days, most sites with Silverlight content will just tell you that the version is too old.