[Software] How to install regular FireFox (not ESR) in such a way so it updates automatically (Debian 11)

[Diesel330]

I decided that I don't trust Brave any more, there's something wrong with it, but I need a second browser along with FF ESR which is preinstalled and updates automatically. I want the same situation with the regular FF, is it possible?

[bbbhltz]

Firefox has a repo https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/in ... tributions

If you need a second browser you could also make shortcuts to launch FF using different profiles.

[Diesel330]

Firefox has a repo https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/in ... tributions

If you need a second browser you could also make shortcuts to launch FF using different profiles.

Thanks for the reply, I followed their instructions and now I have regular Firefox installed.

1) Will this FF update automatically?
2) How do I make shortcuts to launch FF using different profiles? Please explain

[bbbhltz]

When you use apt to upgrade it will pull in new versions.

I haven't done the profile thing in awhile.

First go to about:profiles and create the profiles you want with names like default, work, etc.

Then create shortcuts and use the command

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firefox -P profilename --new-instance

to launch that profile directly. Each profile will have its own bookmarks, settings, extensions, etc.

[Diesel330]

I don't use apt to update, I have unattended updates enabled so it updates without bothering me. Ideally I wanted the regular Firefox to update that way. Anyway I have this situation now:

I have 3 FF, the ''Firefox web browser'' is a flatpak that I want to remove from my computer. How do I remove the right Firefox from the terminal?

[wizard10000]

As root, you'd use flatpak-list to list the packages you have installed and flatpak-uninstall to uninstall the package.

flatpak's man page explains this in more detail.

Hope this helps -

[Diesel330]

As root, you'd use flatpak-list to list the packages you have installed and flatpak-uninstall to uninstall the package.

flatpak's man page explains this in more detail.

Hope this helps -

It doesn't help much, the internet is full of trash and I'm noob, i found the remove command

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flatpak uninstall <appid>

but I can't list the IDs of the apps installed

[blackbird]

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flatpak list

list the packages and

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flatpak uninstall firefox

should uninstall firefox.

[Diesel330]

Today FF ESR had a big update, it jumped 12 versions and they also change the shortcut in the start menu from ''Firefox ESR'' to just ''Firefox'' so perhaps it couldn't be two entries with the same name so the shortcut of regular Firefox is gone... This is my guess. It makes me think if they can't manage the shortcuts right what about the rest of the things? Anyway if there is a way to restore the lost shortcut please tell me, I have located the executable

[sunrat]

Today FF ESR had a big update, it jumped 12 versions and they also change the shortcut in the start menu from ''Firefox ESR'' to just ''Firefox'' so perhaps it couldn't be two entries with the same name so the shortcut of regular Firefox is gone... This is my guess. It makes me think if they can't manage the shortcuts right what about the rest of the things? Anyway if there is a way to restore the lost shortcut please tell me, I have located the executable

See - https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php ... 75#p807475
You now have firefox-esr from Mozilla repo rather than Debian. Stable version is still 115.15.0esr-1

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$ apt list -a firefox-esr
firefox-esr/mozilla,now 128.2.0esr~build1 amd64 [installed]
...
firefox-esr/stable-security 115.15.0esr-1~deb12u1 amd64

In KDE you can right click the desktop menu icon and "Edit Applications" then rename the menu item to Firefox-ESR like it was before. For other DEs there's probably a similar method.

[Diesel330]

Today FF ESR had a big update, it jumped 12 versions and they also change the shortcut in the start menu from ''Firefox ESR'' to just ''Firefox'' so perhaps it couldn't be two entries with the same name so the shortcut of regular Firefox is gone... This is my guess. It makes me think if they can't manage the shortcuts right what about the rest of the things? Anyway if there is a way to restore the lost shortcut please tell me, I have located the executable

See - https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php ... 75#p807475
You now have firefox-esr from Mozilla repo rather than Debian. Stable version is still 115.15.0esr-1

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$ apt list -a firefox-esr
firefox-esr/mozilla,now 128.2.0esr~build1 amd64 [installed]
...
firefox-esr/stable-security 115.15.0esr-1~deb12u1 amd64

In KDE you can right click the desktop menu icon and "Edit Applications" then rename the menu item to Firefox-ESR like it was before. For other DEs there's probably a similar method.

This wasn't my intention at all, I just wanted the regular Firefox along with the ESR maintained by Debian... So I guess now none of them will update automatically and there is no turning back... Good job Mozilla

[bbbhltz]

Of course they will continue to update. That is what the repo does. I don't know what desktop you are using but you can edit the shortcut menu to achieve what you want. In fact, it is quite common. I used to have 4 Firefox profiles in order to be connected to 4 different Outlook-based email addresses at the same time.

Would you rather have different profiles and one version of FF installed or 2 Firefoxes (FF-esr and regular FF) installed?

[Diesel330]

(FF-esr and regular FF)

I prefer this solution

[None1975]

This wasn't my intention at all, I just wanted the regular Firefox along with the ESR maintained by Debian...

Then install firefox-esr from the Debian repo and install regular, non esr Firefox version, from flatpak....

[bbbhltz]

Please read ahead for better (i.e. correct) answers

Open Synaptic, find "firefox-esr"

Highlight it, go to Package > Force Version

Select the non-Mozilla version

Now it is "pinned" and will install and update from that repo.

[fabien]

Now it is "pinned" and will install and update from that repo.

Have you tested this solution? If so, would it be possible for you to post the contents of the pin file (probably in /etc/apt/preferences.d/)?

[bbbhltz]

Now it is "pinned" and will install and update from that repo.

Have you tested this solution? If so, would it be possible for you to post the contents of the pin file (probably in /etc/apt/preferences.d/)?

Shoot, you're right! It doesn't pin it at all. I guess when I've done that with other packages I was forcing the version that always happened to be newer and never realized that it doesn't pin...

But!

The Mozilla repo (I'm guessing) plops this in /etc/apt/preferences.d/

a little file called "mozilla"

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Package: *
Pin: origin packages.mozilla.org
Pin-Priority: 1000

@Diesel330, if you edit the file above and change the "1000" to "1" then it actually works the way I claimed.

EDIT: OK MAYBE NOT... I don't use unattended upgrades so couldn't test that

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$ sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozilla

Package: *
Pin: origin packages.mozilla.org
Pin-Priority: 1

[Shamak]

I don't use apt to update, I have unattended updates enabled so it updates without bothering me. Ideally I wanted the regular Firefox to update that way.

I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would answer this but since no one has I'll try. Can I see the output of

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apt policy

please?

[CwF]

(probably in /etc/apt/preferences.d/)?

You'd think, but synaptic has its own settings that may be ignored by apt.

/var/lib/synaptic/preferences

[blackbird]

@Diesel330, if you edit the file above and change the "1000" to "1" then it actually works the way I claimed.

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$ sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozilla

Package: *
Pin: origin packages.mozilla.org
Pin-Priority: 1

With priority 1 he won't get any updates of firefox (without esr) from Mozilla. I'd say a good priority would be greater 100 (priority of the backports) and smaller 500 (priority of the normal repos) -> maybe 200.
But I'm not sure if this is needed, having firefox-esr and firefox from Mozilla should be fine. They are both updated from the Mozilla repos.