I'm newbie to BeOS. Downloaded and got BEAM email client installed. Downloaded Firebird 0.7 Unzipped it. Valet thingy couldnt seem to do anything with it. Only info on google search was for mozilla, said to run install script from bash. Okie-dokie. Returned reply "cannot execute". Also tried running bin file. Said it couldnt run Firebird because there is a missing library. Sitting right there.

Am I doing something wrong or is this a bad download of Firebird? I only have 26k modem connection and Firebird is 12mb download so dont want to do this often.

Yikes, well, don't exactly know where to start. I know I did download it and installed it but can't remember. The bebits page says it is a zip file. Let me give you some ideas until someone else has a better idea.

Always keep beos' .zip files compressed until they are actually on a beos machine. Never unzip in win/lin/mac/nuttin. Zip files can correct for some minor download errors. The only way to really tell is if they publish a MD5checksum number and you test it on your machine. Ask on beshare what the correct md5 number ought to be and test your download.

If the extension of the file (beos doesn't really care about extensions) is .pk or .pkg then it should open the software valet. That would be the easy way to install. It tells/asks you where to install.

Some apps use a script (like a .bat file) to install. Depending on how it was written you can either use the GUI or command lind to run it. Usually "install" or similar word.

As for firebird you might need a file. See the talkback section at bebits under firebird. I made symlinks to the other lib's files subdirectory. Just to make sure firebird would use my preset paths. If you find out what file you need do a search or get on Beshare and ask. Yes, libraries are an issue with every OS.

Dunno what else to say. I did use it and you are correct in that the actual file that you run isn't an .exe file. I will have to check at home for exact file.

Thank you for replying, I'd about given up on getting an answer.

I downloaded Firebird with netpositive browser and expanded it with beos expander.

No info at bebits. Very little comment on Firebird ported for Beos anywhere, except brief comment that it runs much faster than some old port of mozilla referred to as "Bezilla". If I cant get Firebird installed, may have to try that. Netpositive cant even post to this board.

It does has a script, namely run-mozilla.sh I have experience with linux which can also have .sh script files so I knew what to look for. As I said in my first post, when I used bash to try and run the .sh file, it came back, "cannot execute". In linux sometimes you can also run bin file (like exe under windows). When I tried this it gave warning that Firebird could not be run due to a missing library. This library exists in the Firebird file and I dont know how to set path to it under Beos. Usually libraries in same file are seen, but maybe not under Beos. Really be nice if there was at least some minimal installation documentation. From what I've read, Firebird is only realistic modern browser for Beos. Opera3.62 for Beos is an old buggy beta that Opera wont sell anymore according to info on Opera website and which expires in 30days unless bought/registered. Been long time since I've dealt with opera3.62 under windows but maybe Opera that old could be run off a floppy or cdr so it cant keep track of installation time. Netpositive is only little more functional than IE2 under windows. It tries and is reasonably fast but at many sites I get rejected for not having javascript enabled.

Actually there are a few at bebits. A search for zilla has different ports of that browser. On each page there is a talk back link.

We still don't know if your download is ok.

The run-mozilla.sh is what I think you need to double click on to get it to run from the GUI. Beos doesn't care about extensions at all. I don't know why the beos porter's did that. ? The extension is just for sort of a help as to what it will do. One can make a .sh in beos to run from either or both command line or GUI.

After you unzipped it what did it say?
Did you have a "package" that ran with software valet?

No nothing is a pkg that valet can touch. I dont remember there being any message when I expanded the zip file. The unzipped file just appeared in downloads folder where I told it to put it as I figured it would install, not just run. Also didnt really know where else to put it. I did check other 'zilla' posts at bebits. One interchange was a fellow who installed some version of Firebird successfully on his laptop and wanted to transfer a copy to his desktop. Got same message I did when he ran /MozillaFirebird/MozillaFirebird. Also same when he tried to run /MozillaFirebird/run-Mozilla.sh

He combined links to all stub and .so files into a created lib file and everything worked. I did same but under beos had no idea where to put this created lib file so left it in MozillaFirebird folder. Didnt work for me. Same old, same old. Guess I can try different version of Mozilla that has been ported. Hate to as these seem unnecessarily bloated to me. Must have java plugin included or something. Java is worthless on old machine anyways. Webmasters that insist on java or flash to view thier website should have to repeatedly try to view their own website using an older computer. Then again maybe they are trying to exclude those with old computers on purpose.

Frankly I cant see where this is any easier than linux when I have to manually figure where to put libraries and how to run this or that from command line. Actually harder than linux as there is at least documentation for linux. Well usually... My big bugaboo with any homegrown free versions of stuff. Lot of times it by some hobbyist who is writing for himself and maybe other experienced hobbyists and doesnt take time to document what he is doing. He isnt making $$$ off it so why bother. Really need to make an automatic installer or give the handholding kindergarten version of how to manually install something assuming the user knows nothing.

I would make a new folder and put the .zip file in it. Then unzipp it in that new folder. If it unzipps a bunch of files then it should run from one of the run files. You don't really have to put anything in anywhere else. BUT you can't leave stuff in the download folder and expect it to run. That is a special folder for guess what? Downloads only.

Ok, not good idea to have hodgepodge of unorganized files under any system, but whats special about beos download file other than its name? I ran some other programs out of it just fine. Download file is starting to get messy so as you suggested I created empty file for firebird, moved the firebird zip file there, unzipped it. When I tried to run it, got same missing library, cannot execute, and a new one "symbol not found" depending what I tried to run.

By way I downloaded Opera and got it running. Think it may do my needs for now and lot smaller in size. Little unpolished with couple bugs, but fairly fast and hey I'm posting here with it. I dont need java and flash anyways. If I had Firebird running, I'd turn off java and flash since its an older computer and I have a slow connection. Firebird just has more advanced SSL and javascript.

Post these qustion or search on the talkback section. There might alread be an answer? The developer needs to know the problems. If might be that you don't have the update to BeOS R5.03?

I suppose feedback thing would be the logical place to post. Never thought about the updates. As I said, no documentation. Yes I just have plain ole 5.00, NO .01 or .03 updates. No indication when I downloaded Firebird that those were needed, just said I needed R5. As I said above I am happy enough now with Opera despite occasional crash or rendering a page with everything jumbled (can you believe this actually happened on couple pages at the Opera website!), but probably run into something needing 128bit encryption and wont have it.

Oh I do have my printer working with beos, although no apparent way to control borders, fonts, etc.

Alright, posted at Bebits talkback and fellow there had same problem, said updating BeOS to 5.0.3 worked for him. I updated and am using Firebird 0.7 right now. It is as fast as Opera3.62 on my computer and its MODERN!!!!!!

Hi LitleJon!
I hope I can help you. You downloaded this zip file, and extracted it in an directory.
That's all you have to do boy!
That Trick is: You don't have to start the Binary-File itself. There is a script-file (a simple text-file, it seems to be) f.e. "Mozilla-bin" has to be started with the script-file "mozilla" in the same directory(the 1st). Firebird has to be started with the script-file "MozillaFirebird" (both without endings). Just doubleclick on it and wait, they aren't as fast as opera, then it starts. You can also read these instructions in the readme.txt files, in the same directories, too.
Hope I could help.