with many packages i try to install i am confronted with dependency errors, but when i check up on these i find they are present. for example: libpng.so.3 is required by many a few things i've tried to install, but when i check back, libpng is in fact installed.
the same sort of thing happens when i try to compile the source as well. when trying to compile something (can't remember what) it told me zlib version 1.14 or more was required, which i have. so what's going on? i can't install anything!!!

on one willing to help?

There are several ways when compiling or when running a compiled image file - that the system finds shared libraries.

The first is your PATH. See if the the .so file's directory shows up in your PATH variable. All users should have a PATH that points to all of the linked shared libraries.

The default method for linking shared libraries defers 'opening' the library until run-time -- so-called dynamic linking. You can link (using ld) in such a way that the path to the shred libries are 'hard-coded' into the image file, so it doesn't depend on the PATH.