Help Install with Adept

[decatur-linux]

Aldl I want to do is to install Skype, Firefox, and Thunderbird.

Let's start with Skype.  I downloaded the package from www.skype.com; it's a .deb file.  I cannot figure out how to install it using Adept.

I found info on the web about installing .deb packages. It said to run
              apt-get update
which I did run successfully.  Then it said to run
              apt-cache search skype
which again I ran successfully, with not output other than a prompt. But I went ahead anyway.  It said to run next
               apt-get install skype
which I ran, and got the message, "E: Couldn't find package skype."

OK.  So I decided to add http://www.skype.com to my repository list (yes, I know, that's not exactly what I should have put, but that's another story). I went into adept, selected manage repositories, and added the skype URL to the repository list.  It added it at the beginning.  I entered--
             deb http://www.skype.com
and it appeared to add it.  So I exited adept, went to konsole and entered
            sudo adept
The response I got was--
    X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 166
  Major opcode:  144
  Minor opcode:  3
  Resource id:  0x0
Failed to open device
X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 166
  Major opcode:  144
  Minor opcode:  3
  Resource id:  0x0
Failed to open device
kapture::PkgSystem::PkgSystem()
adept: ERROR: Communication problem with adept, it probably crashed.

And it won't let me get into it via the GUI menu, either.

How do I correct the repository file? Where is the repository file? More importantly, how do I install Skype, which I have downloaded to my home directory?

TIA.

[decatur-linux]

Re: Help Install with Adept

OK, I found sources.list in /etc/apt.

I edited the file to eliminate the new repository line that I had added.

I can start adept from konsole, but not from the GUI menu.

I went to konsole and entered

   sudo apt-get update

which it did, and I saw the line that I had added in the output.

I then entered

    sudo apt-cache search skype

and it responded--

skype - Free Internet Telephony - The whole world can talk for free

Great!  So then I executed

  sudo apt-get install skype

and it responded--

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  skype
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 78 not upgraded.
Need to get 7906kB of archives.
After unpacking 9160kB of additional disk space will be used.
WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
  skype
Install these packages without verification [y/N]? y
Get:1 http://download.skype.com stable/non-free skype 1.2.0.18-2 [7906kB]
Fetched 7906kB in 16s (475kB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package skype.
(Reading database ... 66594 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking skype (from .../skype_1.2.0.18-2_i386.deb) ...
Setting up skype (1.2.0.18-2) ...

So now I've got Skype installed, right?  Well, it shows up in /usr/bin, but I haven't been able to get it to run yet. And it doesn't appear in my program list in the GUI menu. But I probably can take care of that too.

Am I almost home free?  Surely there's an easier way to install a .deb package than this.  Someone clue me in.

TIA.

[Nirvana]

Re: Help Install with Adept

what happens when you type in the command "skype"?

Also, try easyubuntu (http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org ) to install skype or openwengo

[someguyouknow]

Re: Help Install with Adept

you prefer to use konsole rather than just using the program?.....

[kubicle]

Re: Help Install with Adept

Surely there's an easier way to install a .deb package than this.  Someone clue me in.

You should be able to right-click on a .deb package and choose 'Kubuntu Package Menu'>'Install'

If you don't have the menu, make sure 'kubuntu-default-settings' package is installed

[decatur-linux]

Re: Help Install with Adept

Thanks, all of you, for your suggestions.

Nirvana, eventually it appeared on my program menu (I may have had to restart the computer, I don't remember). Thanks for the suggestion regarding EasyUbuntu: I've just glanced at it, but will give it more attention later. BTW, I did get Skype to work under Kubuntu and it works fine!

Kubicle, I probably never would have found the right-click technique had you not pointed it out to me. That makes a lot of sense; I knew that there had to be an easier way.

I'm good to go, thanks to my friends.

[ChiendeRue]

Re: Help Install with Adept

Hey decatur-linux,

I am sure that you have now learned a lot about installing programs in (K)Ubuntu. That is surely a good thing in the long run. But I'm afraid that quite a few newbies have given up on Linux because of probs like yours.
I recognise the "X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 166" all too well.

There is an easier way though: Having all the stuff you wanted installed, along with your Kubuntu, right off the installation disk:
Have a look at this thread: http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=6805.0
SimplyMEPIS 6.0 It's basically Kubuntu++
I have it installed. It works great for me and I can now start to fiddle around and learn without frustration.

Cheers,

CDR

[Fenyx]

Re: Help Install with Adept

Well, his problem can't really be solved by MEPIS 6. AFAIK, Skype isn't installed by default, even in MEPIS. Having multimedia codecs installed is one thing, but installing new software is another.

One reason why he's getting those errors in launching Adept from the terminal is because he used sudo to launch a graphical app, rather than kdesu. Another problem would be that he tried to add a repository that really doesn't didn't exist (AFAIK).

One thing I'm not sure is if MEPIS inherited the right-click service menu for installing .deb packages.

There's one annoying thing about installing apps in Kubuntu, though. Some new programs are not added immediately to the K Menu, while some are. The behavior is quite inconsistent. Most of the time, you have to log out (NOTE: no need to really restart, just log out) and log back in for the program to be added to the menu, if it's really supposed to be added (some apps, like 3D Desktop, for example, really don't have K Menu entries).

aysiu gave this little command so that you can "update" the K Menu without having to log out:

kbuildsycoca --incremental

[ChiendeRue]

Re: Help Install with Adept

Well my friend, you will be happy to hear that MEPIS got better!
Skype (and Thunderbird too) is right there:
K Menu> Internet > More applications > Skype 8)
I haven't used it yet, but this weekend I will.

I do have SimplyMEPIS 6.0 RC 3 (Release Candidate 3)
MEPIS are having their licensing audit today 18 July, 2006
I will hear from you whether skype is in the final release

[Fenyx]

Re: Help Install with Adept

The official realease SimplyMEPIS 6 is supposed to be out today. I just don't know what time (UTC) that will be, or if it will be postponed again, for the 3rd time...