Hi, I've been using Windows for years. I tried to switch to Linux a few years ago but I just couldn't get the hang of it. I've decided to try again and this time I'm not going to quit. Currently I host my personal webpage on a Windows box and use no-ip.com for my dynamic dns. I downloaded the Linux installer but I've never installed a program before. I'm running Red Hat 9 which allowed me to (unzip) the tar.gz file. I opened up the read me file and I don't understand what it is telling me to do or how to do it. Any help would be great. Here is what's in the read me file:

" [ -d][ -D pid][ -i addr][ -S][ -M][ -h]

Version Linux-2.x.x
Options: -C create configuration data
-F force NAT off
-Y select all hosts/groups
-U minutes set update interval
-c config_file use alternate data path
-d increase debug verbosity
-D processID toggle debug flag for PID
-i IPaddress use supplied address
-I interface use supplied interface
-S show configuration data
-M permit multiple instances
-K processID terminate instance PID
-h help (this text)

###########################################################################
HOW TO CONFIGURE THE CLIENT

The command
noip2 -C
will create configuration data in the /usr/local/etc directory.
It will be stored in a file called no-ip2.conf.

If you can't write in /usr/local/*, or are unable to become root on
the machine on which you wish to run noip2, you will need to include
the '-c config_file_name' on every invocation of the client, including
the creation of the datafile. Also, you will probably need to put the
executable somewhere you can write to. Change the PREFIX= line in the
Makefile to your new path and re-run make install to avoid these problems.

You will need to re-create the datafile whenever your account or password
changes or when you add or delete hosts and/or groups at www.no-ip.com
Each invocation of noip2 with '-C' will destroy the previous datafile.

Other options that can be used here include '-F' '-Y' -U'

You will be asked if you want to run a program/script upon successful update
at no-ip.com. If you specify a script, it should start with #!/bin/sh or
your shell of choice. If it doesn't, you will get the 'Exec format error'
error. The IP address that has just been set successfully will be delivered
as the first argument to the script/program. The host/group name will be
delivered as the second argument.

Some machines have multiple network connections. In this case, you will be
prompted to select the device which connects to outside world. The -I flag
can be supplied to select an interface which is not shown. Typically, this
would be one of the pppx interfaces which do not exist until they are active.

The code will prompt for the username/email used as an account identifier
at no-ip.com. It will also prompt for the password for that account.

The configuration data contains no user-serviceable parts!!

IMPORTANT!! Please set the permissions correctly on the configuration data.
chmod 600 /usr/local/etc/no-ip2.conf.
chown root:root /usr/local/etc/no-ip2.conf.
If you start noip2 manually from a non-root account, do the chmod as
above but chown the no-ip2.conf file to the owner:group of the non-root
account. Make sure the directory is readable!

The program will drop root privileges after acquiring the configuration data
file.
###########################################################################

I would like to see this README.FIRST text translated to other languages.
If you can convert this file from English to another language, please send
the translated file to me. Thank you.

###########################################################################

Bugs should be reported to johna@onevista.com

Email me if you need help, but be aware I have extensive spam filtering.
If your mailserver is blocked, send your message thru no-ip support.
Don't send mail in html; no one will see it.

You can make a trace file and examine it for error messages.
Here's how to do that.
Type: script noip2.out
Type: 'your noip command line with the -d parameter added'
Type: exit
Examine the file noip2.out. Send it to me if you're still puzzled.

johna@onevista.com January 2004"

there should also be an INSTALL file, which should explain step by step how to compile and install the program

And, for future reference, don't just give us the command options preceded by an asterisk. Give us the command to which those options apply. I hesitate to state the obvious and risk a flame war, but, options differ from one command to another.
Ps. from the tone of your post, I assume you never learned command-line operations in windows (i.e. DOS commands). Well, brace yourself! To get the full power of the Linux force, acquiring command-line skills is the soul, the essence, the POWER of Linux. The greatest hurdles: One - you don't need to reference anything such thing as C: in your commands. Two - you use the / instead of the \ for commands/statements which include the path to some file or other (the / is much more easily accessed, don't ya' know!).