Can't Remove Firefox?

[naviathan]

I've just done a fresh install of 10.10 and I'm making my changes but I can't seem to remove firefox. I've installed Chromium and I want to remove firefox, but when I try it either installs songbird, abrowser or just reinstalls firefox...What the hell? I have a browser, why MUST I have one of these others?

[vanilline]

I also cannot possibly remove it!
(LM 8 Main Edition)
Synaptic tries to download and install Sun Java packages, iceape browser and SeaMonkey browser instead of removing Firefox!
I'm astonished. That's not fair.

[naviathan]

Mind blowing isn't it? Very weird...
Little more detail. If I remove firefox it installs songbird. If I remove songbird it installs abrowser. If I remove abrowser it installs firefox....AHHHHH!

[vanilline]

We seem to be compelled to use the Mozilla soft.
Is this the freedom which "came from elegance"?
I look forward to read the Linux Mint developers' reply.

[naviathan]

Something tells me that this comes from upstream.

[OldManHook]

What's the big deal Have you ever removed IE from Windows
Just install and use what you want-Why is it so important to remove Firefox

[naviathan]

Because I'd rather not waste the menu space and resources with it. If you don't care whether you're being forced to have a certain piece of software installed or not, why didn't you stick with Winblows?

And to answer your question, yes I have removed IE.

[OldManHook]

Because I'd rather not waste the menu space and resources with it. If you don't care whether you're being forced to have a certain piece of software installed or not, why didn't you stick with Winblows?

And to answer your question, yes I have removed IE.

This is Linux--If you don't like this OS you can make your own--"It is Windows not Winblows" Any OS you use will have Programs you don't use I still don't see how FF uses resources if you are not using it--But to each his own--Good Luck

[naviathan]

"It is Windows not Winblows"

Gee lets be completely technical here. Honestly, do you think I didn't know that? Also I'm very well aware that I can just create my own OS. I read and used LFS and BLFS many years ago. I don't have that kind of time on hand anymore and I really like Mint. Support forums are intended for problems like these, so why be a douche and give replies like the ones you're giving? If you don't have anything productive to add, don't add anything. From one tech to another, you're people skills need a lot of work.

[Serendipity]

The first thing that shows up if you Google "Linux Mint: can't remove fire fox" is this: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=57860.

[OldManHook]

"It is Windows not Winblows"

Gee lets be completely technical here. Honestly, do you think I didn't know that? Also I'm very well aware that I can just create my own OS. I read and used LFS and BLFS many years ago. I don't have that kind of time on hand anymore and I really like Mint. Support forums are intended for problems like these, so why be a douche and give replies like the ones you're giving? If you don't have anything productive to add, don't add anything. From one tech to another, you're people skills need a lot of work.

Don't know what you know don't care You are Right support forums are for Problems- But not being able to remove FF as a problem As for my people skills ,I'm not the one name calling--Just posting what i think,The Photoshop/Gimp is but miss my point--An OS is a Tool ,Windows is one of them as is the many Linux Distros including Linux Mint.
No diss to you or anyone on this forum-Just my opinion

[riki]

Here is my bit. Knocking Windows is childish really. Most of us learnt how to use a computer with Windows and now that we know better we treat them like dirt. Silly and not very clever.

[Elisa]

IMHO it's more infantile if we treat about sh....t like it'd be a sweet cake
With a s...t you should treat like with a s...t

The more clever is - not even start s...ting children minds with any s...t !
Have a look at a very cool example from school:

http://www.slx.no or
http://slx.no/en/in-use

Those children must be happy (and will be in their future as well, even they can't imagine that for now).

[viking777]

Firstly I must say that removing Firefox is a big waste of time imho. If something matters to you on Linux (or probably windows as well) then you need two of it - browsers, email clients, media players, backups, even distros - I could go on and on with that list it really depends on what is important to you. Having said that if you want to remove anything and cant do it with apt then try aptitude.

Before you do this you must do two things.
First run

Code: Select all

sudo aptitude update

then run

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sudo aptitude keep-all

Otherwise aptitude thinks that everything it hasn't installed is surplus to requirements and might attempt to remove the whole lot!

Having done that you can then run

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aptitude purge firefox

and you will get the following results, or something similar:

Code: Select all

sudo aptitude purge firefox
The following packages will be REMOVED:  
  firefox{p} 
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 29.3 MB will be freed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  sun-java6-plugin: Depends: firefox but it is not going to be installed. or
                             firefox-2 which is a virtual package. or
                             iceweasel but it is not going to be installed. or
                             mozilla-firefox which is a virtual package. or
                             iceape-browser but it is not going to be installed. or
                             mozilla-browser which is a virtual package. or
                             epiphany-gecko but it is not going to be installed. or
                             epiphany-webkit but it is not going to be installed. or
                             epiphany-browser but it is not going to be installed. or
                             galeon but it is not going to be installed. or
                             midbrowser which is a virtual package. or
                             moblin-web-browser which is a virtual package. or
                             xulrunner but it is not going to be installed. or
                             xulrunner-1.9 which is a virtual package. or
                             konqueror but it is not going to be installed. or
                             chromium-browser but it is not going to be installed. or
                             midori but it is not going to be installed.
  mint-search-addon: Depends: firefox but it is not going to be installed. or
                              firefox-3.0 which is a virtual package. or
                              firefox-2 which is a virtual package. or
                              abrowser which is a virtual package. or
                              flock which is a virtual package. or
                              songbird which is a virtual package. or
                              iceweasel but it is not going to be installed.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

     Remove the following packages:
1)     mint-search-addon           
2)     sun-java6-plugin            



Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] 

This does two things. Firstly it explains why you are going round and round in circles with other browsers and the like, and secondly explains what you can do about it.

[markfiend]

Any OS you use will have Programs you don't use I still don't see how FF uses resources if you are not using it--But to each his own--Good Luck

I must say I agree with naviathan that's not a very helpful attitude.

For a start, unused programs use disk space. Secondly, it's inelegant to have a system cluttered with unnecessary programs. Some people are running Linux on older computers where disk space is at a premium; why waste space that you could use more productively?

Thirdly, Linux is about choice. If someone chooses not to use FF it should be easier to remove without weird dependency issues.

If something matters to you on Linux (or probably windows as well) then you need two of it - browsers, email clients, media players, backups, even distros - I could go on and on with that list it really depends on what is important to you.

Well, to a point. But a) my point about disk space still stands, b) there's always Lynx if you break the graphical browser(s) on your system, and c) if your "you need two of it" rule also applies to computers, fire up the other one.

[riki]

IMHO it's more infantile if we treat about sh....t like it'd be a sweet cake
With a s...t you should treat like with a s...t

The more clever is - not even start s...ting children minds with any s...t !

Only you knows what you are talking about. You'd be better off posting in German or Czechoslovakian. We would then understand, perhaps, what you are trying to say.

[viking777]

If something matters to you on Linux (or probably windows as well) then you need two of it - browsers, email clients, media players, backups, even distros - I could go on and on with that list it really depends on what is important to you.

Well, to a point. But a) my point about disk space still stands, b) there's always Lynx if you break the graphical browser(s) on your system, and c) if your "you need two of it" rule also applies to computers, fire up the other one. [/quote]

a) If you are short of disk space these days then you must have a very old computer or maybe have never heard of usb.
b) I never understood the concept of a command line web browser, it is a bit like a television that only produces sound (it used to be called a radio until the world moved on a bit).
c) It definitely applies to computers, but two computers have a significant cost implication that not everyone can meet, two browsers have no such implication.

These facts are one of the biggest advantages of Linux over every other mainstream OS, and they are frequently overlooked by folks that come hot foot from the windows world where one of everything is the norm (OK you can get more than one browser choice 'out of the box' these days, but that has taken litigation on an almost global scale to achieve).

[OldManHook]

Any OS you use will have Programs you don't use I still don't see how FF uses resources if you are not using it--But to each his own--Good Luck

I must say I agree with naviathan that's not a very helpful attitude.

For a start, unused programs use disk space. Secondly, it's inelegant to have a system cluttered with unnecessary programs. Some people are running Linux on older computers where disk space is at a premium; why waste space that you could use more productively?

Thirdly, Linux is about choice. If someone chooses not to use FF it should be easier to remove without weird dependency issues.

If something matters to you on Linux (or probably windows as well) then you need two of it - browsers, email clients, media players, backups, even distros - I could go on and on with that list it really depends on what is important to you.

Well, to a point. But a) my point about disk space still stands, b) there's always Lynx if you break the graphical browser(s) on your system, and c) if your "you need two of it" rule also applies to computers, fire up the other one.

All OS's have Problems when you remove some programs In windows when you try to remove base programs you get dll missing and BSOD Many people think That an OS is made for them only--If Mint use the browser you want, FF users would feel the way you do,As for disc Space you can have a 1TB HD for less than $100US so i don't see that as a problem--Old systems What do an 80G drive cost ? A problem i do see is new users trying to change the OS without understanding how it work or trying to learn Don,t like my attitude,sorry but thats how i feel

[markfiend]

Your points are valid OldManHook and viking777. I agree that disk space is cheap. But still, why use more of it than you have to?

And I'm sorry if I came across as antagonistic, no offence intended.

=========

I just pointed out Lynx viking777 because it fits in your "two of everything" rule as a back-up browser. And it's a browser that will still work even if you manage to bork your X server It has come to my rescue once or twice...

=========

Anyway, on the whole I suppose it's not the end of the world if you can't remove FF from a mint system, but Linux is about choice, I'd rather be able to live without FF if I so choose. As it happens I tend to use FF as my browser-of-preference so it's a bit of an academic argument

[vanilline]

Before you do this you must do two things.
First run

Code: Select all

sudo aptitude update

then run

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sudo aptitude keep-all

...
.

That doesn't help, I'm afraid. Firefox seems to be immortal in LM 8

I don't want to have Firefox on my computer. Why? It's just a matter of principle. The computer is mine. And it's up to me to chose any soft. If I don't want Firefox, I do have a right to remove that program. And I don't even have to explain the reasons.

Linux means a free choiсe. Doesn't it?

So, do I need to remove LM to get rid of Firefox?