How to Install Pidgin from Source in Ubuntu 9.04

Bismillah

Consider this easier way: http://tuxarena.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-install-pidgin-261-in-ubuntu-904.html

0. You need build-essential
$ sudo apt-get install build-essential

1. Latest libglib2.0-dev and libgtk2.0-dev
$ sudo apt-get install libglib2.0-dev libgtk2.0-dev

2. Install libxss-dev, if you get "XScreenSaver extension development headers not found" error message or really need it.
$ sudo apt-get install libxss-dev

3. Install libstartup-notification0-dev, in case you get "Startup notification development headers not found" error message. Otherwise, just do what the error message suggests.. (--disable-what-you-don't-need)
$ sudo apt-get install libstartup-notification0-dev

4. "GtkSpell development headers not found" error message?
$ sudo apt-get install libgtkspell-dev

5. "You must have libxml2 >= 2.6.0 development headers installed to build."
You must have libxml2 >= 2.6.0 development headers installed to build.
$ sudo apt-get install libxml2-dev

6. GStreamer development headers not found.
Use --disable-gstreamer if you do not need GStreamer (sound) support.
$ sudo apt-get install libgstreamer0.10-dev

7. GNU Libidn development headers not found.
Use --disable-idn if you do not need it.
$ sudo apt-get install libidn11-dev

8. Meanwhile development headers not found.
Use --disable-meanwhile if you do not need meanwhile (Sametime) support.
I disable meanwhile. Install libmeanwhile-dev if you need.

9. avahi development headers not found.
Use --disable-avahi if you do not need avahi (Bonjour) support.
$ sudo apt-get install libavahi-glib-dev libavahi-client-dev

... taking deep breath ...

10. Perl development headers not found.
Install libperl-dev

11. Tcl headers not found.
$ sudo apt-get install tcl8.5-dev

12. Tk development headers not found. *Now what??*
install tk8.5-dev

13. "Pidgin will be installed in /usr/local/bin.
configure complete, now type 'make'

Finally!

$ sudo make

$ sudo make install

If you get
pidgin: symbol lookup error: pidgin: undefined symbol: purple_theme_loader_get_type
Try this: $ sudo ldconfig

That's it. Happy chatting!