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[jpooler]

I appreciate everyone's contribution to this thread.  I have finally managed to download Opera and install it into my XO.  It does appear to be a superior browser.  However, my initial frustration was based on (my) ignorance about the "shorthand" notation used in the installation instructions.  Little did I realize that the command:

wget http://snapshot.opera.com...ic-qt.i386-en-544.tar.bz2

was actually meant to be a "shorthand" version of:

wget http://snapshot.opera.com/unix/olpc-544/opera-9.12-20070122.10-static-qt.i386-en-544.tar.bz2

Where the path string "/unix/olpc-544/opera-9.12-20070122.10-static" had been shortened to "...ic".

I guess I am a bit too literal in following the instructions (since everyone was raving about them), and I didn't look at the wiki to see the full string (until after a few attempts).

Happy Holidays... and enjoy learning about the XO and its capabilities.

[Wayan Vota]

Here's a OLPC Learning Club attendee looking for an easy Opera browser download:

[GregYohn]

 

Hey! That's me!

Here's a OLPC Learning Club attendee looking for an easy Opera browser download:

[Atif]

Here's a OLPC Learning Club attendee looking for an easy Opera browser download:

Just watched the video...and um...is he kidding?  So he is expecting the guy behind opera to spend the time to make opera install just like an activity from OLPC?  I agree that would be NICE of the guy to VOLUNTEER his time to make it that simple.  But I'm just greatful he made a sugar compliant version that LOOKS good on the XO.

I just posted a guide to installing Skype on the XO, and while it works, the skype UI is pretty ugly on the XO with some things being normal sized and other things being super tiny.

Unless we PAY someone (think Micro$oft or $nApple) I don't think it is fair for us to expect them to put in a lot of time for what is (at least for now) a REALLY small user base.

[GregYohn]

Hi!

I think if someone is bragging about his OPERA browser and does not place it easily as an activity within Sugar within 1 year of his wonderful video, then why is he jumping up and down with excitement?

Hunting all over for answers is not the method to implement wonderful software, so if the end user can not implement his GREAT browser, who cares how GREAT it can be if it is not used by the vast majority of users?

Remember, not all the whole world is used to Linux or Sugar!

Here's a OLPC Learning Club attendee looking for an easy Opera browser download:

Just watched the video...and um...is he kidding?  So he is expecting the guy behind opera to spend the time to make opera install just like an activity from OLPC?  I agree that would be NICE of the guy to VOLUNTEER his time to make it that simple.  But I'm just greatful he made a sugar compliant version that LOOKS good on the XO.

I just posted a guide to installing Skype on the XO, and while it works, the skype UI is pretty ugly on the XO with some things being normal sized and other things being super tiny.

Unless we PAY someone (think Micro$oft or $nApple) I don't think it is fair for us to expect them to put in a lot of time for what is (at least for now) a REALLY small user base.

[GregYohn]

Hi!

Thanks for making the video of me. Please ship it off to the OPERA folks.

I have already tried to install OPERA using the information shown above. It did not happen!

By the way Wayan, you look good in the suit during your 60 minutes interview! 

Greg

Here's a OLPC Learning Club attendee looking for an easy Opera browser download:

[twloughlin]

Greetings,

Using the directions posted here (and thanks for those!) I have managed to install the Opera browser on my XO (which arrived yesterday with no warning, but it arrived!). However, in playing with Preferences, I seem to have inadvertently lost the drop-down menu which allows me to choose Preferences or Quick Preferences. The Opera website indicates that you can get to Preferences by pressing Alt+P, but on the XO, Alt+P is a dedicated function which seems to toggle between activities. Also there is no way to activate a function key beyond F9 (I think). So, would anyone have any idea as to how to restore the default settings to the olpc skin and re-activate the drop-down menu which allows you to get to the Preference settings as well as Quit choices? I'd like to get that default view back. Thanks.

PS - When going through the install process I did not realize that the Terminal activity does not bring you to the bash shell. I could not figure out for the life of me why I could not log in as "root." I finally got it by following the directions to the letter. You have to press that opening key combination correctly to get right into the bash shell and not use Terminal, because you'll get stopped at installing files into /etc if you're not logged in as root.

-twl

EDIT - I did manage to get the menu back,but I had to use the vi editor in the Terminal to do so. Adding the line "Show Menu=1" in the {User Preferences} section did the trick. The menu is small, and with the olpc skin it is dark and hard to see, but it's there.

[seb4]

thanks for the great directions koaziji 


I assume the *.bz2 files can be removed ??

[seb4]

nevermind, seems like my *current* problem was fleeting 

[Boone]

I managed to get Java installed by following Atif's instructions.  But, like him, I've found its performance to be spotty.  I tried using the New York Times crossword puzzle applet as a test; it loaded and I was able to navigate through the puzzle using the trackpad and mouse buttons, but the applet didn't seem to recognize any keyboard input.  Next time I get to a Starbucks I'll try to log into the HotSpot (which requires Java, as I understand).

[PixelFish]

Thanks....got Opera installed. These instructions plus the addendums in the second page (about what to do right before install) were great. 

At first, I think something happened when I went into cmd line mode---for some reason, nothing was typing correctly. But I restarted my XO and everything turned out just as the instructions say.

[jfh]

Thanks for koaziji's instructions on installing Opera.  I have one problem at the outset, however.  Is the console the same as the terminal?  How do I access the console?  I have pushed crtl, alt, and neighborhood at the same time, and nothing happens.  On this thread :http://olpcnews.com/forum/index.php?topic=330.0
reference is made to Console 1 and Console 2.  What is that all about?

[koaziji]

I'm not sure what a developer would say about console vs. terminal, but here's what I know so far.

Terminal is a sugar activity. It's nicer to look at. You get to it via the menu/frame.

Console is a sort of behind the scenes terminal. It's not pretty to look at: the type is miniscule. You get to it via control+alt+neighborhood. I don't know why it doesn't work for you. It always works for me. Try a reboot? The control key is located above the shift on the xo; on most full size keyboards it's below shift. Could it be possible that your muscle memory makes you hit fn+alt rather than ctl+alt?

You can also get to console via control+alt+group. While they call it console2, I don't know if it is a different instance or what. I put console in the instructions because I suspected but wasn't sure it was more powerful or versatile than the terminal activity.

You get out of console by hitting control+alt+home.

While the terminal activity is prettier, it's a lot faster to hit the control+alt combos to get to console. It's harder to see the text in console, but switching from command line to activity is much faster using console than when using terminal.

[KenS]

OK, so I'm going to dive into this and install Opera tonite - primarily for the reported better Flash experience.

One question, though -  the Wiki says:

Opera is not fully integrated into the Sugar UI. In particular, the Opera process does not die when the activity is terminated. In order to terminate Opera, open a shell and run a "kill" command.

Is this still the case?  I know that there's a lot of outdated info on the Wiki, since this is all such a work-in-progress.

My five-year-old is not going to be killing processes from the Terminal.  Heck, I'm a bit scared to do that myself.  But I really think a positive flash experience for website will make the XO more attractive to her, and there's not alot good written about flash working with BROWSE....

[PixelFish]

OK, so I'm going to dive into this and install Opera tonite - primarily for the reported better Flash experience.

One question, though -  the Wiki says:

Opera is not fully integrated into the Sugar UI. In particular, the Opera process does not die when the activity is terminated. In order to terminate Opera, open a shell and run a "kill" command.

Is this still the case?  I know that there's a lot of outdated info on the Wiki, since this is all such a work-in-progress.

My five-year-old is not going to be killing processes from the Terminal.  Heck, I'm a bit scared to do that myself.  But I really think a positive flash experience for website will make the XO more attractive to her, and there's not alot good written about flash working with BROWSE....

Hrm, I wonder if this is why I keep getting a strange grey circle that pops up in the Home circle whenever I pop between Opera and other things. I don't know what it is, I just know that since I installed Opera it occasionally shows up, and if I click on it, the screen just goes grey...rather like it's trying to bring up something, but nothing happens. It doesn't worry me TOO MUCH yet, because I can just pop back to Home super easy.