After downloading a file how do I actually install it to use it. I downloaded Audiogalaxy which is a music site for downloading songs. In Xterm it is blinking red. How do I install it or get access to it?

There is no install for it, just cd to the directory where you extracted it and do "./AGSatellite"<Enter>

That was my question...It is not extracted. The only place I see it is in Xterminal, it is flashing red but it does not have a directory or destination. I am not sure if I am explaining this correctly.

So, in other words you just dl'ed file and haven't done anything yet? If it is a situation then I am confusd about flashing stuff. Nevermind. if it is a tarball you downloaded (filename.tar.gz) try this in the xterm window:
tar xvfz filename.tar.gz

the following will create filename directory, cd into it and look for INSTALL file or similar, use a text editor of your choice to view it and procede. Usually you'll need to do something like ./configure and then
make install
but first see INSTALL or README files.

Have fun.

Thanks for your help:
When I ran this command for the AGSatellite it worked. When I ran it for audiogalaxy I received this message:
tar (child):audiogalaxy:cannot open: no such file or directory
tar: (child): Error is not recoverable:Exiting now.
Child returns to Status 2

I typed tar xvfz audiogalaxy .tar.gz

When I am in Xterminal I type ls -a, I get a list of programs. Here I find AGSatellite0520-glibc21.tar.gz Under this there is audiogalaxy@
here audiogalaxy is flashing. the name is flashing on a red highlighted background.

you just downloaded a link. remove it.

to see how it went try this in a temporary directory:

touch felipe; ln -s felipe link-to-felipe; rm felipe; ls -l

the result should be simply a "dead link" which in some consoles is represented with flashing text

ciao!

you said that the file is red...

You don't have the rights to to anything withit yet.
Login root and go to the repertory that contain your file and do
chmod 777 filename
after do ls -al and it shoult have change to green
than extract / install

Thanks Felipe,,,Now for part 2...I have the AGSatellite which is connects to the site for downloading music. Are you familiar with it enough to walk me through getting it up and started. I was able to get into the readme text file. I am supposed to go into an Editor program and type information. I do not know how this affects the program.
Is everything in Linux this complicated?

if you've never written any kind of .bat files for micro$oft dos or found a need to reboot to msdos, or even open up the msdos prompt on windows, then yeah everything in Linux will be of this level of complication.

It isn't that bad, and once you've done it a couple of times, you should be able to apply what you learned from one experience to the next.

you now know how to uncompress a downloaded file (a tarball, i.e. a .tar.gz or .tgz file) the command will always be the same for every tarball that you download tar -zxvf *.tar.gz

now that you've done it once, it isn't all that complicated any more.

almost all downloaded programs follow the same set of commands to install.

1. uncompress the tarball
2. -?!
3. Profits!

(sorry couldn't resist)

1. uncompress the tarball
2. cd into the new directory and read the README or INSTALL file
3. ./configure
4. make
5. make install
6. run your program

not everything is as easy as that (compiling kernels, installing hardware, etc is harder) but almost every downloaded file you'll see just needs those 6 steps to have it installed.

oh and once it is installed try typing:

man programname

that is the all knowing help file which will give you details on how to use the program (not all programs have a man page)

bc99

Ok I am half with you...steps 1-3. Can you go over /configure...Make...Make install...thanks