Firefox self-updates

[Eberhard Roloff]

NoOp wrote:
> On 01/16/2008 11:01 AM, Richard wrote:
>> is there a way to have Firefox 2.xx.11 to a self- update check,
>> it would appear that option is grayed out.
>>
>> TIA
>> Richard
>>
> 
> Yes. The problem is that FF needs to have write permissions in order to
> do the update:
> 
> http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/2.0.0.11/releasenotes/
> <quote>
> All Systems
>  .
>  .
>  .
> Software Update will not work if Firefox is installed to a location on
> your disk to which you do not have write access, since Software Update
> needs to replace or create files in this location.
> </quote>
> 
> [Same issue with Thunderbird]
> 
> You can do this by:
> 
> Remove the Ubuntu Firefox and install the mozilla FF directly to your
> home directory where you have full r/w access.

Installing into home dir is not needed. With the Mozilla FF and TB you 
get updates also, when firefox is stored elsewhere, ex. at /opt/firefox.

Then, after the update has been downloaded and firefox wants you to 
close it in order to be restarted, close it but do not restart.

Instead, start firefox once and very briefly as root and have the 
updates installed. Finally close firefox and start the updated firefox 
as usual.

Very easy, isn't it?

At least, doing it like this, I do not need a separate firefox 
installation for any user on my system. Worse, this also mean I would 
need to do a separate update to any and each installation. For me, this 
closely resembles a nightmare.


> 
> You could give FF write access in your existing Ubuntu install. But this
> would create 2 problems: 1) possible security issue if you don't know
> exactly what FF file(s) need write access, and 2) performing the update
> via the button, and hence mozilla.com would very likely break your
> existing (U)FF installation due to the modifications that Ubuntu have
> made on the (U)FF version.
> 
> I'd recommend that you file a bug:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/firefox/
> and ask the developers to modify (U)Firefox so that Software Update is
> enabled if you aren't comfortable doing 1 or 2 above.

Imho, this is not a bug but a feature to have a Ubuntu tuned Firefox.

Kind regards
Eberhard
> 
>