I tested Linux Mint (Mate) on a DVD when Windows XP was EOL'd and it included an old version of Firefox.

Because different Linux shells have different variants of Firefox, you may want to use what others on the same distribution are using. Do you know what is included with Cinnamon? There might be more specific help on a Mint-specific forum.

But as a general response, standard Linux full installers are available for download on this page (scroll down to your preferred language):

https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/

If the PC you used to post this thread is what you are going to install Linux on then it appears you have 32-bit Windows 7 based on useragent in More system details on right of your post.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

Firefox from mozilla.org is a tarball (not a Linux installer as stated above) as you just extract it and run the firefox script is the basics. You will need to manually make any launcher, panel, menu shortcuts you want to firefox script in Firefox folder. The mozicon128.png Firefox icon is in firefox folder /browser/icons/

To start Firefox and also Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey with profilemanager use -Profilemanager instead of -P

If you have a big enough hard drive and your Windows 7 install is still good you could dual boot. You could just defrag and cleanup stuff on Windows and then when you install Linux resize that partition. Then make appropriate partitions for Linux install during install. This way you can still use Windows for something you cannot do on Linux or for as a backup. It's also easier to dual boot if Windows is already there before Linux install vs other way.

Thank you jscher2000 AND james, your responses were just the kind of insight and reassurance I was seeking. Thanks again and, james, yes, I know I'm running 32-bit Win7, bought this PC off-lease and that's what was/is installed. (And yes, I have a "full" system image on a USB 1-TB drive, extra/later files on a flash-drive and a recovery disc ready, just in case.) Moreover, sys-info says I have a P4 cpu but(?) task manager and perfmon show I have a "dual core"(?), aka 2 cpus. After reading all the reviews at DistroWatch for Mint, Ubuntu, OpenSUZE, Red Hat and FreeBSD, as well as a cornucopia of info at each of those sites, I figure it MAY be worth a TRY to load a 64-bit flavor of Linux. I mean, the worst(?) that could happen is it doesn't work and I have to start over with the 32-bit install disc. My primary past experience is SCO-Unix and HP-UX, both of which are System V derivatives (well, really, they ALL are). Furthermore, if Mint seems "lacking," I also have installation DVDs for 32- and 64-bit OpenSUZE that, at 4.7GB (full disc), is claimed to have a plethora of suitable applications including FF, TB, etc. I'm opting to try Mint first as it seems in O-SUZE (as well as most other flavors) I'll need to track down and install some codecs for Flash, VLC and Audacity (and perhaps other SW), which seem to be included with Mint. (It's been my experience that it's "easier" to install apps than codecs.) Anyway, thanks again, to both jscher2000 and james and my apology for not posting this response sooner. Hope one and all are having a wonderful and safe holiday weekend... how many more of them "we" have may well be a diminishing number. :)

P.S. If anyone wants to know my "full" reasoning for ditching MS and going to Linux, please, do not hesitate to ask.

colinbc said

I have a P4 cpu but(?) task manager and perfmon show I have a "dual core"(?), aka 2 cpus.

Its plausible it is a Pentium that is 64-bit.

You can try 64-bit Linux first and then 32-bit version if 64-bit does not work.

With a older cpu I suggest you use a lighter desktop like Xfce vs say heavier Gnome 3 or KDE.

Besides VLC there is Mplayer with the variants ogf gui on that like Gnome Mplayer.

You need to install the appropriate gstreamer packages for to play HTML5 video. If Firefox was running when you install this then you may need to restart Firefox for HTML5 vids to work.

If you do use OpenSUSE Leap 42.1, do consider using the Packman repository. https://en.opensuse.org/Additional_package_repositories

Xfce can make use of nice GTK 2 Themes but also GTK3 which will be needed for Gecko 43.0 which is used by Firefox 43.0 and SeaMonkey 2.40 in future as minimum requirement will be GTK 3.4 (three.four) then instead of the GTK 2.18+ for 42.0.

James, thank you once again for the "extra-mile," you are an outstanding example of humanity! What a wonderful world it would be if more of us were so competent and considerate! :) (I do try.) I really don't have much expectation that the 64-bit install will fly on this box but what the hell, I might learn something. It's also "iffy" in that I only have 2GB of ram but, at least on Win7, I've been able to augment that (to some degree) with a flash-drive. I haven't touched Unix since I "retired" (really just got sick & tired of working "for" abject morons, about 14 years ago) and really haven't "played" with any form of Linux since the late '90s when I proclaimed "Linux is the DOS of the Unix world." I see it's made orders-of-magnitude progress since then, which I think is a very good thing. I'm hoping, too, that the world economy doesn't "blow up" in the next few months so that I can acquire another off-lease PC, but with a "genuine" dual-core cpu and more ram and hd-space, that WILL run a 64-bit OS. Anyway, thank you again for the extra info and I hope you and your loved-ones have a very pleasant and safe holiday season. I probably shouldn't mention, but will, this is NOT my "favorite" time of year, too much hypocrisy despite all the "well-wishing" spouted from pie-holes. Nonetheless, I am quite sincere in my thanks and appreciation of your support. You seem to be, so far, the type of person my life has been too devoid of but I'm sure you have better things to do than "chat" with an old geezer like me! :) Again, wish you all the best regardless of the season.