result as above

is the file on your Desktop?
did you typed ls ?

The file is on the desktop and I tried ls Is and 1s all with no result.
I found a very good article on laptop logic website which had a step by step explanation to install from desktop and everything went perfectly untill the last step when the install file could not be opened. The minicom file I have was downloaded with a windows XP machine and maybe there are dependences not included in the file. I don't know a lot about it, Im just repeating what I have read on one of the multitude of websites I have visited in the last couple of days. I may be better of just installing a later version of ubuntu. Do they come with minicom included? Thank you for all your help, it is much appreciated, I will get the better of this one day.

why don't you use the packet manager?

Thanks, I'll try that. I thought the packet manager was only useful getting stuff from repositorys on the web. At the moment I'm away from home so it'll be a few days before I can attack this again. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

correct, minicom is in the repo's