diff --git a/boost-1.69_install_deb8.sh b/boost-1.69_install_deb8.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bce2bde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boost-1.69_install_deb8.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+# debian8, boost 1.69.0
+#
+# in order to install boost, ensure you set 'use' for anaconda (python3) and cmake installs
+# I used debian8 anaconda-6 and cmake 3.14.something.
+#
+# Also must set a symlink in anaconda-6 include/ subdir to point to python3.7m/
+# Name the symlink python3.7 as the 'm' suffix is not expected by boost.
+
+# show commands being run
+set -x
+
+# Fail script on error.
+set -e
+
+pkgname=boost
+version_major=1
+version_minor=69
+version_micro=0
+version_dot=${version_major}.${version_minor}.${version_micro}
+version_underbar=${version_major}_${version_minor}_${version_micro}
+basedir=/apps/share64/debian8
+pkginstalldir=${basedir}/${pkgname}
+tarinstalldir=${pkginstalldir}/tars
+installprefix=${pkginstalldir}/${version_dot}
+downloaduri=http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/boost/boost/${version_dot}/boost_${version_underbar}.tar.gz
+tarfilebase=boost_${version_underbar}
+tarfilename=${tarfilebase}.tar.gz
+environdir=${basedir}/environ.d
+script=$(readlink -f ${0})
+installdir=$(dirname ${script})
+
+if [[ ! -d ${pkginstalldir}/tars ]] ; then
+    mkdir -p ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+fi
+cd ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+
+if [[ ! -e ${tarfilename} ]] ; then
+    wget ${downloaduri}
+fi
+tar xvzf ${tarfilename}
+
+cd ${tarfilebase}
+./bootstrap.sh --prefix=${installprefix}
+./b2 install
+
+if [[ ! -d ${environdir} ]] ; then
+    mkdir ${environdir}
+fi
+
+cat <<- _END_ > ${environdir}/${pkgname}-${version_dot}
+conflict BOOST_CHOICE
+
+desc "Boost ${version_dot}"
+
+help "Boost provides free peer-reviewed portable C++ source libraries"
+
+version=${version_dot}
+location=${pkginstalldir}/\${version}
+
+prepend LD_LIBRARY_PATH \${location}/lib
+prepend BOOST_INCLUDE \${location}/include
+prepend BOOST_LIBS -L\${location}/lib
+
+tags DEVEL
+_END_
+
+echo "all done"
+exit 0
diff --git a/cmake-3.14.3_install_deb8.sh b/cmake-3.14.3_install_deb8.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d94acf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake-3.14.3_install_deb8.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+# this script dies with memory allocation errors on qubeshub debian 7 containers
+# but here we are trying for debian8. Let's go!
+
+# show commands being run
+set -x
+
+# Fail script on error.
+set -e
+
+pkgname=cmake
+VERSION=3.14.3
+basedir=/apps/share64/debian8
+pkginstalldir=${basedir}/${pkgname}
+tarinstalldir=${pkginstalldir}/tars
+installprefix=${pkginstalldir}/${VERSION}
+tarfilename=${pkgname}-${VERSION}.tar.gz
+tardirbase=${pkgname}-${VERSION}
+downloaduri=https://cmake.org/files/v3.14/${tarfilename}
+environdir=${basedir}/environ.d
+cpucount=`cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor | wc -l`
+
+if [[ ! -d ${pkginstalldir}/tars ]] ; then
+    mkdir -p ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+fi
+cd ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+
+if [[ ! -e ${tarfilename} ]] ; then
+    wget ${downloaduri} -v -O ${tarfilename}
+fi
+rm -rf ${tardirbase}
+tar xvzf ${tarfilename}
+cd ${tardirbase}
+
+./bootstrap --prefix=${installprefix}
+make -j${cpucount}
+make install
+
+
+if [[ ! -d ${environdir} ]] ; then
+    mkdir ${environdir}
+fi
+
+cat <<- _END_ > ${environdir}/${pkgname}-${VERSION}
+conflict CMAKE_CHOICE
+
+desc "CMAKE ${VERSION}"
+
+help "the cross-platform, open-source build system"
+
+version=${VERSION}
+location=${pkginstalldir}/\${version}
+
+prepend PATH \${location}/bin
+
+tags MATHSCI
+_END_
+
+echo "all done"
+exit 0
diff --git a/cmake-3.7.2_install_deb8.sh b/cmake-3.7.2_install_deb8.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbf3dd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake-3.7.2_install_deb8.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+# this script dies with memory allocation errors on qubeshub debian 7 containers
+# and as before I don't care I'm installing on debian 8
+
+# show commands being run
+set -x
+
+# Fail script on error.
+set -e
+
+pkgname=cmake
+VERSION=3.7.2
+basedir=/apps/share64/debian8
+pkginstalldir=${basedir}/${pkgname}
+tarinstalldir=${pkginstalldir}/tars
+installprefix=${pkginstalldir}/${VERSION}
+tarfilename=${pkgname}-${VERSION}.tar.gz
+tardirbase=${pkgname}-${VERSION}
+downloaduri=https://cmake.org/files/v3.7/${tarfilename}
+environdir=${basedir}/environ.d
+cpucount=`cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor | wc -l`
+
+if [[ ! -d ${pkginstalldir}/tars ]] ; then
+    mkdir -p ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+fi
+cd ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+
+if [[ ! -e ${tarfilename} ]] ; then
+    wget ${downloaduri} -v -O ${tarfilename}
+fi
+rm -rf ${tardirbase}
+tar xvzf ${tarfilename}
+cd ${tardirbase}
+
+./bootstrap --prefix=${installprefix}
+make -j${cpucount}
+make install
+
+
+if [[ ! -d ${environdir} ]] ; then
+    mkdir ${environdir}
+fi
+
+cat <<- _END_ > ${environdir}/${pkgname}-${VERSION}
+conflict CMAKE_CHOICE
+
+desc "CMAKE ${VERSION}"
+
+help "the cross-platform, open-source build system"
+
+version=${VERSION}
+location=${pkginstalldir}/\${version}
+
+prepend PATH \${location}/bin
+
+tags MATHSCI
+_END_
+
+echo "all done"
+exit 0
diff --git a/firefox-68.8.0_debian8-install.sh b/firefox-68.8.0_debian8-install.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8124b7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firefox-68.8.0_debian8-install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+# let's try for debian8!
+
+# show commands being run
+set -x
+
+# Fail script on error.
+set -e
+
+pkgname=firefox
+VERSION=68.8.0esr
+basedir=/apps/share64/debian8
+environdir=${basedir}/environ.d
+pkginstalldir=${basedir}/${pkgname}
+tarinstalldir=${pkginstalldir}/tars
+installprefix=${pkginstalldir}/${VERSION}
+tarfilebase=firefox
+tarfilename=${tarfilebase}-${VERSION}.tar.bz2
+downloaduri=https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/${VERSION}/linux-x86_64/en-US/${tarfilename}
+script=$(readlink -f ${0})
+installdir=$(dirname ${script})
+
+if [[ ! -d ${pkginstalldir}/tars ]] ; then
+    mkdir -p ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+fi
+cd ${pkginstalldir}/tars
+
+if [[ ! -e ${tarfilename} ]] ; then
+    wget ${downloaduri}
+fi
+tar xvjf ${tarfilename}
+
+cp -r firefox ${installprefix}
+
+# setup use script
+if [[ ! -d ${environdir} ]] ; then
+    mkdir -p ${environdir}
+fi
+
+cat <<- _END_ > ${environdir}/${pkgname}-${VERSION}
+conflict FIREFOX_CHOICE
+
+desc "Safe and easy web browser from Mozilla."
+
+help "https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/"
+
+version=${VERSION}
+location=${pkginstalldir}/\${version}
+
+prepend PATH \${location}
+prepend LD_LIBRARY_PATH \${location}
+
+tags DEVEL
+_END_
+
+echo "all done"
+exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/anaconda-6_install_deb8.sh b/scripts/anaconda-6_install_deb8.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4233ca1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/anaconda-6_install_deb8.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+# Mods for debian8 by JMS
+# 2020-05-22
+#
+# Install anaconda2-6, anaconda3-6, jupyter, jupyter lab and example notebooks.
+# Run this, then test it by "use -e anaconda-6; start_jupyter" from
+# a workspace or ssh session.  You will need to install the "jupyter"
+# tool to allow users to access it.
+#
+# Now that these repos are private, you must get added as a repo collaborator
+# Also be sure to clone to the anaconda directory prior to running install
+#	/apps/share64/debian<release>/anaconda/
+# and then issue a 'git pull'. These things have been commented below.
+
+# show commands being run
+set -x
+
+# Fail script on error.
+set -e
+
+pkgname=anaconda
+VERSION=6
+
+# Where to install.  Should this be different for different OSes?
+basedir=/apps/share64/debian8
+
+pkginstalldir=${basedir}/${pkgname}
+# install dir for anaconda2
+pkginstalldir2=${basedir}/${pkgname}/${pkgname}2-${VERSION}
+# install dir for anaconda3
+pkginstalldir3=${basedir}/${pkgname}/${pkgname}3-${VERSION}
+example_dir=examples
+environdir=${basedir}/environ.d
+script=$(readlink -f ${0})
+installdir=$(dirname ${script})
+
+# Create installation directory if necessary
+if [[ ! -d ${pkginstalldir} ]] ; then
+    mkdir -p ${pkginstalldir}
+fi
+cd ${pkginstalldir}
+
+# Checkout notebook_setup script
+if [[ ! -e "jupyter_notebook_setup" ]] ; then
+    git clone https://github.com/hubzero/jupyter_notebook_setup.git
+fi
+
+#cd jupyter_notebook_setup
+#git pull
+#git checkout ${VERSION}
+#cd ..
+
+# if old examples dir exists, create a softlink to it.
+#if [[ -e "examples-4.1" ]] ; then
+#    ln -sf "examples-4.1" ${example_dir}
+#fi
+
+# checkout example notebooks
+if [[ ! -e ${example_dir} ]] ; then
+    git clone https://github.com/hubzero/jupyter_notebook_examples.git ${example_dir}
+fi
+
+#cd ${example_dir}
+#git pull
+#git checkout 23ccb2494a069eff1a1921a8307d18654079d28d
+#cd ..
+
+# now fetch and install binaries
+
+#    parser.add_argument('--with-py2', action='store_true', help='Install Python2')
+#    parser.add_argument('--with-nanohub', action='store_true', help='Install tools for materials simulations')
+#    parser.add_argument('--with-dash', action='store_true', help='Install Plotly Dash')
+#    parser.add_argument('--with-vnc', action='store_true', help='Install VNC')
+#    parser.add_argument('--with-ml', action='store_true', help='Install Machine Learning tools')
+#    parser.add_argument('--desktop', action='store_true', help='Install Desktop version')
+#    parser.add_argument('--envdir', type=str, default='/apps/share64/debian7/environ.d',
+#                        help='Environment directory for hubs (default: /apps/share64/debian7/environ.d)')
+#    parser.add_argument('--with-r', action='store_true', 
+#                        help='Install the R kernel and packages')
+
+
+./jupyter_notebook_setup/jpkg --with-vnc --with-r --envdir '/apps/share64/debian8/environ.d' --with-dash install ${VERSION}
+
+
+# setup Rprofile.site
+install -D --mode 0444 ${installdir}/Rprofile.site.in ${pkginstalldir2}/lib/R/etc/Rprofile.site
+install -D --mode 0444 ${installdir}/Rprofile.site.in ${pkginstalldir3}/lib/R/etc/Rprofile.site
+
+#echo "All done."
+#exit 0