Click here to jump to the directions and skip the following mumbo jumbo.
I made An Introduction to Ubuntu 8.04 video to show people the similarities between Ubuntu and Windows. However, when we start digging into something new, like Ubuntu can be for some folks, it becomes more and more difficult as we try to figure out how to do what is a common task or function in Windows or the Mac.
While working in Ubuntu (pronounced oo-BOON-too) I wanted to run a twitter client, more specifically TweetDeck or thwirl. But first, I wanted to see what Ubuntu had to offer in way of a twitter client.
Synaptic Package Manager
To find programs in Ubuntu, we use a program called Synaptic Package Manager that is similar to the Add/Remove Programs in Windows to add and remove programs or packages as they’re known in the Linux world. We start the Synaptic Package Manager under the System -> Administration menu selection.
There are so many programs to choose from that we could scroll the package manager forever. We’ll use the search button that allows us to search on a word or words to help find a twitter client. Using the search button we’ll search on the text twitter, Ubuntu finds two twitter clients.
Ubuntu comes with two twitter clients we could install and they’re called gtwitter 1.0beta and twitux. Both of which we don’t want to use. Okay we can use them but TweetDeck and thwirl are much better. So we’ll skip the built-in twitter clients for Ubuntu.
Let’s dive into figuring out how to run TweetDeck and thwirl in Ubuntu.
Adobe AIR
First we know that TweetDeck and thwirl run on Adobe AIR. So let’s go to the TweetDeck site and see if there’s a version of AIR for Linux. There is. Woo Hoo!!
- Download Adobe AIR for Linux
- Browse to where we downloaded the .bin file in step one. For example my download of the .bin file ended up in my home folder. We can use the Places -> Home menu selection to see the file.
- Right click on the .bin file we downloaded and select Properties, select the Permissions tab. Check the Execute box to Allow executing file as program.
- Open Ubuntu Terminal under the Applications -> Accessories menu and navigate to the Desktop folder. When I open Terminal, my cursor is at the home folder for the current user, which is /home/bills2000.
- Type in and enter the following command (notice the one in _b1_, not lower case L):
sudo ./adobeair_linux_b1_091508.bin
The normal AIR install will run and we’ll be able to install TweetDeck and/or thwirl.
Running TweetDeck and thwirl
When we browse to tweetdeck.com or twhirl.org we’ll have to download the individual .air files and NOT click on Install Now. For instance, when we click on the link to TweetDeck for Linux, we can open it right away with Adobe AIR Application Installer or save it to disk first and then open it. Accept all the defaults and we’ll be up and running TweetDeck.
Repeat with thwirl as well. Now that Adobe AIR is installed we don’t need to do that over. Just download the link for thwirl and select open, and away we go.
Thanks for the great tutorial!
I’ve got twhirl installed on Ubuntu 8.10 and everything is working perfectly, except I don’t get the sounds to notify me when new tweets come in. The sound works fine in any other program and I’ve checked the settings in twhirl to make sure that the sounds for new notifications is turned on and with max volume. Any idea how to fix this? Tweetdeck sounds don’t seem to be working either.
Thanks again!
That’s a good one. Haven’t even listened for mine because I turn it off in twhirl and tweetdeck. Kind of annoying to me. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for stopping by.
Apparently on some ubuntu based distros (as mine Linux Mint) you can’t launch .air apps directly by double clicking.
Neither can you launch the Adobe Air Installer from the programs menu. You have to create a launcher on the desktop either manually or by dragging the shortcut from the menu onto the Desktop and launch it from there.
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I’m also using Linux Mint (version 6.0), and the notification sounds of Twhirl work fine.
I really like Adobe Air but I’ve installed a number of applications and can’t figure out how to remove the ones I no longer want. They’re not listed in the Add/Remove section or Synaptic. I’m using Ubuntu Jaunty.
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Tip for Uninstalling an Adobe Air application (Ubuntu Jaunty)
Applications/Accessories/Adobe Air Uninstaller
when you run that application it will give you a list of Air applications that are installed and you then select which you wish to remove.
If that option is not in your menu then you have not installed Adobe Air directly perhaps and should visit Adobe site. Not sure is installing .bin files as described in this tutorial will always create the necessary desktop entry.
The command that the menu option runs on my machine is:
“/opt/Adobe AIR/Versions/1.0/Resources/Adobe AIR Updater” -arp:uninstall
… and I’m guessing the argument -arp:uninstall is the key thing to remember.
@Gary: Excellent point.
Hi.. I am having an issue… I am trying to install Adobe AIR but all I get is: “An error occurred while installing Adobe AIR. Installation may not be allowed by your administrator. Please contact your administrator”.
I have tried just about anything before issuing the command: “sudo ./AdobeAIRInstaller.bin” like closing firefox, making sure the /opt/Adobe Air directory does not exist.
Actually Adobe Air was working fine.. up until I decided to run “Computer Janitor” thats when Adobe Air started to get messed up…
Please shed some light over this issue…
I will really appreciate it.
Thanks, it works on 10.04. Found it useful by using balsamiq mockups. They are on adobe air =)
This looks very interesting. I will have to give Adobe air a try!
I think I’ll try this on an older computer I have. I use a version of linux running on my HP Mini 1000 called Jolicloud. It’s pretty cool too.
good to know that linux especially ubuntu is reaching for windows application.
windows is still my main system but I have ubuntu on the side. I simply switch to ubuntu if i’ll be surfing the net to avoid viruses.
There are a lot of great Adobe Air applications that I use on Windows. It’s nice to know that it is available to use on Linux as well.
Hi bill,
I’ve just used your tutorial on Ubuntu 10.04, but in the last version of Ubuntu, I’ve found some difficulties installing it. Can you update your article testing the new version of ubuntu?
Thanks for this tutorial with screen shots. I will try to install.
I just used this to install Adobe Air and Tweetdeck on Debian 6.0 and it (kinda) works for that too. This tutorial is more or less OS independent and you can remove references to Ubuntu if you want. Nice writeup, though.
@Sharninder: Thanks for stoppin’ by. Yes, when it works like Adobe Air, OS independent software is good.