Arch Linux

GOwin

Member

Registered: 2008-04-03

Posts: 18

newbie report. need some help.

I bit the bullet and installed ArchLinux on a 'clean' laptop. Prior to Arch, I had a dual-boot system running Ubuntu 7.04 and XP. I was planning to install ArchLinux, and run WindowsFLP (I still got apps that only work in Windows) under VirtualBox.

I got around to installing ArchLinux using FTP install - not my original plan.   I'm glad to have backed up my data to an external drive because after I repartitioned the whole disk, I got stupid and somehow ruined my installer disc during the process. . I'm glad to have an old puppylinux disc at hand, so I managed to download the software I need to install 64-bit Arch via USB stick.

Right now, I'm not very sure whether to be happy about it or not. I've been on Ubuntu for several years now and it was the only distro that made me stick with Linux 98% of the time. What I liked about Ubuntu is that in most cases, I don't have to bother with most things. They just work. (Or at least, the things I wanted did.)

Now I have Arch installed with XFCE. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to get tired of having to install everything I wanted one package at a time. Though I like the control and the latest program versions I get; but I'm not really an expert so I miss the 'friendliness' of Ubuntu. For example, after I got my DE running (thanks to the great wiki and forum) I have to get a browser (epiphany), and then an office suite (openoffice), next is drawing program (inkscape). I still have lots of packages to work on (Bluetooth, Gramps, VirtualBox, etc, etc.)

I'm kinda irritated that not everything is working smoothly. Flash is not working. I can't get Firefox to run. Some of Epiphany's icons are missing (I only got an image with a red 'X' in its place). check this image:

I haven't decided on whether it's for keeps - it's like a day-old only and still the only OS running on my computer. I'll give Arch a go and compare it with Ubuntu 8.04 when it comes out three weeks from now.

I hope for some feedback. Thanks.

EDIT
- icon problem resolved by changing to Tango icon pack
- still working on Flash

Last edited by GOwin (2008-04-09 00:30:55)

dyscoria

Member

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 1,007

Re: newbie report. need some help.

Installing programs isn't all that bad is it?
Having everything preinstalled generally means that you have a lot of stuff you don't really want, and you'd have to download that originally anyway (hence why the Ubuntu installer CD is a full 700MB).

To fix the icon, try selecting a different icon theme (possibly need to download one off something like http://www.xfce-look.org/ ). If that fixes it, it's probably a problem with the default Xfce icon theme not providing that particular icon function. What is that icon mean to do?

---

flack 2.0.6: menu-driven BASH script to easily tag FLAC files (AUR)
knock-once 1.2: BASH script to easily create/send one-time sequences for knockd (forum/AUR)

GOwin

Member

Registered: 2008-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: newbie report. need some help.

Actually, I'm using the ArchLinux icon theme. Help with Flash on Epiphany is appreciated.

Thanks for the quick reply.

Last edited by GOwin (2008-04-08 11:30:06)

ralvez

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2005-12-06

Posts: 1,708

Website

Re: newbie report. need some help.

To install flash you need to do: pacman -Sy flashplugin
If already did make sure you have ~/.mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so
I do not use epiphany but you may need to "tell it" the above location is where the plug in exists.

Hope this helps.

R.

GOwin

Member

Registered: 2008-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: newbie report. need some help.

sudo pacman -Sy flashplugin

Tried it but it's not working. Got this "error: 'flashplugin': not found in sync db"

As for my Icon problem. Changing the Icon set didn't work out.

As you can see, there are other icons missing. Here's a screen shot of the toolbar editor with highlights on missing icons.

Last edited by GOwin (2008-04-08 13:26:39)

bangkok_manouel

Member

From: indicates a starting point

Registered: 2005-02-07

Posts: 1,556

Re: newbie report. need some help.

using arch64, right ?
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ins … _on_Arch64

bgc1954

Member

From: Edmonton, AB, Canada

Registered: 2006-03-14

Posts: 1,160

Re: newbie report. need some help.

Have you tried the tango icon theme-- #pacman -S tango-icon-theme

I used to use that when I used xfce and it worked then.

---

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils ... - Louis Hector Berlioz

GOwin

Member

Registered: 2008-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: newbie report. need some help.

Have you tried the tango icon theme-- #pacman -S tango-icon-theme

I used to use that when I used xfce and it worked then.

That's it! Thanks.

PS
This forum is surprising - it's small but very helpful.

PPS
In my old Epiphany installation in 64-bit Ubuntu, I had a right-click menu that allows me to use my smartbookmarks for searching the web. It doesn't seem to be working right now even if I have smart bookmarks.

Last edited by GOwin (2008-04-09 00:32:35)

GOwin

Member

Registered: 2008-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: newbie report. need some help.

Update:

Flash is finally working. I started with the http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ins … _on_Arch64 but used the package http://packages.mortals.dy.fi/nspluginw … pkg.tar.gz from here instead.

By the way, what do you recommend for a light and nice FTP client XFCE?

PS
I'm still wondering how to auto-mount my sd/mmc cards from my laptop's internal card reader

Last edited by GOwin (2008-04-10 03:52:54)

loosec

Member

Registered: 2007-03-08

Posts: 134

Re: newbie report. need some help.

HAL can handle that for you.

For a nice ftp client
pacman -Ss ftp
Try them all =;D
gftp is easy, has gtk-support and a very usable text-mode for the command line.

Last edited by loosec (2008-04-10 12:14:14)

GOwin

Member

Registered: 2008-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: newbie report. need some help.

am actually using gftp now.

still trying to resolve the auto-mounting issue with sd/mmc cards. usb sticks works fine.