I just downloaded my first ever tar.gz file and thought I knew what i was doing but I don't. I extracted the file gtk-gnutella-0.92.1c.tar.gz to my Programs directory, and then according to the install guide for the program it said to do these three things:
./configure
make
make install

The problem is that ./configure doesn't seem to be a valid bash command for my console. It says:

bash: ./configure: No such file or directory

I did man ./configure and ./configure --help, but didn't get any results. Can someone tell a newb what he's done wrong? THanx

You will need to change into the directory that is created when you untar the tarball

Then, you can go about your business, first thing should ALWAYS be reading the INSTALL or README files though, not configuring as this would be a clue as to whether you are able to configure or what you actually need to do

Cool

Assuming that your shell is bash (try: echo $SHELL) ...

Are you sure you are in the right directory?? And how about typing errors?

okay I got it figured out(sort of)

I did this:
tar -xzvf gtk-gnutella-0.92.1c
cd gtk-gnutella-0.92.1c
./configure
make
make install
make clean
exit

but then when I typed gtk-gnutella to run the program I got this:

'Never ever run this as root!' ???? what is that all about ???

That's programs looking out for you.

You should do as little as possible as root, really.

Cool

just what it says hehe don't run it as root so if your in the terminal as the root user, then type "exit" to return to regular user, or type "su username" where username is your user and then run gnutella

Looks like you are logged in as root. That is not a goo idea, becouse you can mess the system. Add a user and then login as that user and run the prog.

To add a user (now you have to be root, becouse you are manipulating with a system) type:
useradd username

and after that (if it will not propt you automatically) type:
passwd username

to set a password for the new user.

mmkay, I did the useradd thing, so now can just restart and login as myself and it should work, right?

You don't have to restart, this is linux after all

Just logout of root, and then login as the newly created user.

Cool

thanx fellas

sorry it took me so long to post back, but I got gnutella installed yesterday, and it works fine