Update: Installing Molden on 64bit Debian based GNU/Linux Systems

Quite some time ago, I have posted a script that attempts to install Molden. This has become a very popular post but when I read the script again recently, I felt a strong obligation to post a much cleaner way to do things. The following instructions should work for any Debian based GNU/Linux distribution. This includes Ubuntu, but – while in the past, I have been using Ubuntu myself – I cannot recommend it any longer because it does a poor job in respecting your freedom. If you like Ubuntu‘s look & feel but value your freedom, you might want to give Trisquel a try. Anyway, this is about getting Molden to work.

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SCC Supports OpenVPN

After having had lots and lots of troubles with the proprietary Juniper VPN client (On some GNU/Linux versions including the distro used by the computational chemistry group it refused working at all!) formerly exclusively recommended by our university’s IT management, the Steinbuch Centre for Computing (SCC), I was very happy to see that now (since when?) they also support OpenVPN.

On my Ubuntu 10.04 + GNOME 2 system, running

sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn-gnome
sudo -r shutdown now

(yes, it needs to reboot…) was sufficient to allow me importing the configuration file provided by the SCC into the GNOME NetworkManager. (VPN Connections → Configure VPN… → Import Then enter your user name and password and confirm.) The configuration file along with some additional information is available from the SCC’s website.

It should be installed by default but if not, first install OpenVPN via

sudo apt-get install openvpn

I hope many students and employees will now use OpenVPN so they switch from trial to regular operation. Kicking out the Juniper client was an important step for me towards a fully free desktop.