Adobe Air on Linux: What, Why, and How
Adobe Air is a technology that allows certain web applications to be run on the desktop,
as if they were normal desktop applications. In this guide, I will attempt to answer
three questions: What is it?, Why is it important?, and How do I install/use it?
Note: This guide was written for the Adobe Air for Linux Alpha. It may or may not work on
future versions of Air for Linux. I will try to update this guide as new versions become
available.
What is Adobe Air?
According to the
Adobe Air website, Adobe
Air "lets developers use proven web technologies to build rich Internet applications that
deploy to the desktop and run across operating systems." Essentially what that means is
that developers can use tools and techniques that are already familiar to them and create
web 2.0 applications that will not only run inside a web browser, but also on the
desktop, regardless of the operating system that desktop is running.
At the time of writing, Adobe Air for Linux is not feature complete, so not all
applications may work perfectly.
Why is Adobe Air important?
One of the main barriers people face when moving from one operating
system to another is applications that don't run on their new operating system. This
creates an uneven playing ground where the operating systems on top have a huge advantage
over other operating systems, regardless of technical merit. Web applications started to
solve this problem, because most web applications can be run on any operating system, but
web applications have one major disadvantage: they require an internet connection. Air
lets developers create web applications that will also run on the desktop, removing that
one major disadvantage and allowing web applications to finally level the operating
system playing field.
For Linux, if Adobe Air catches on, many new applications will become available for it,
not because they were developed specifically for Linux, but because they were developed
for any operating system. This means switching to Linux is likely to become very easy in
the future.
How do I install and use Adobe Air?
Installing Air
Start by visiting the
Adobe Air for
Linux download page and click on "Download Adobe AIR for Linux." Once downloaded,
right click on the file and select "Properties."
Next click on the "Permissions" tab and make sure "Allow executing file as program" is
checked. This will allow you to run the installer.
Now open a terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal). You will need to
navigate to the folder that the installer is in. In most cases, when you first open the
terminal, you will be in your home folder. If the installer is on your desktop, all you
should need to do is type "cd Desktop" without the quotes to get to your desktop. To
confirm you are in the right folder, type "ls" (again, without the quotes) and look to
see if the file is there. Once you are sure you are in the right place, type "./filename.bin" without the quotes and replacing filename with the name of the installer. For example, you might type "./adobeair_linux_a1_033108.bin". Here is an example of what you might type into the terminal and
what it might return:
(Note: Do not close the terminal window until the installation is done.)
The rest of the installation is very easy, but I will walk you through it anyway.
Press accept if you agree to the license.
Wait...
Press "Finish." Congratulations, Adobe Air is now installed!
Using Air
Now that Air is installed, you can get started trying out some sample applications.
First, you have to find an application to use. You can find the sample applications
here. There
are some non-sample applications, however they may or may not work, since Air for Linux
is not feature complete.
The installation process should be the same for all of the Air applications, so you can
choose any one you want. For this tutorial, we will use Signet. Scroll to the bottom of
the page linked above and download the sample application. (Be sure to get the
application, not the source code.)
Just double click on the file and wait until you get this screen:
Assuming you want to go ahead and install, click "Install."
The default settings here should be fine in most cases, so go ahead and click "Continue,"
or feel free to play with the (very few) settings first.
Wait a little longer and then the application should launch. Congratulations! If it does
not launch or you want to launch it again, just go to your applications menu or use the
shortcut on the desktop.
If you need help, you can always e-mail me (webmaster@linuxloop.com) or use the contact
link at the bottom of the page. Or, if you prefer, look for a good Linux forum, such as
LinuxQuestions.org.
Below are some screenshots from various Air applications:
Signet:
Fresh:
Copyright 2007-2008 Thomas Teisberg -
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