TEMPORARY README: In theory, you don't need much... python-pyopenssl python-crypto maybe some other stuff... Before launching amsn2 you have to fetch the submodules (papyon). Instructions can be found on the aMSN forum: http://www.amsn-project.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5994 If you launch ./amsn2.py and it gives an error, that error probably tells you which dependency you need... You can type ./amsn2.py --help for more info... and the front ends can be selected with -f : ./amsn2.py -f efl ./amsn2.py -f gtk ./amsn2.py -f qt4 for gtk, you need python-gtk... and for efl, you need the EFL, the python-efl and python-etk If you want to install the EFL, it's easy go to http://omicron.homeip.net/projects/ and download the easy_e17.sh script : http://omicron.homeip.net/projects/easy_e17/easy_e17.sh Then do ./easy_e17.sh -i It will download the CVS, automake, configure, make and make install everything into /opt/e17 (so it doesn't 'contaminate' your system). Once done, go to ./e17_src/BINDINGS/python and type ./buildall.sh /usr (this will build and install the python extensions into /usr/python2.X/...). See README.txt in that directory for requirements. Then the efl front end should become available... If it's not, fire up a python shell and try to import the ecore module; diagnose from there the problem. If you have the following error with the qt4 front-end: Traceback (most recent call last): File "./amsn2.py", line 76, in <module> amsn = aMSNCore(options) File "/home/price/amsn2/amsn2/core/amsn.py", line 46, in __init__ self._loop = self._gui.gui.aMSNMainLoop(self) AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'aMSNMainLoop' try moving into the amsn2/gui/front_ends/qt4 directory and calling generateFiles.sh If the backspace is not working as expected with the ncurses front-end it is probably because your TERM is not set to the correct value. Try to launch amsn2 with some other setting for TERM, like: TERM=konsole ./amsn2.py -f curses If it works with some other value it means that your terminal emulator is not set correctly.