installing software.
 

I'm not that new to Linux or Unix.
but my question is a newbie question.
I'm trying to install software by compiling the source codes.
I have no idea on how to do it. Everytime I try to do make or make install,
i get a message that says Linux Kernel Source not found or something along those lines.
I've followed the tutorials I've seen online to no avail.
I also read and reread the "readme" files that comes with the software packages.
Anyone able to help me out?

Depending on your distro and on what you are trying to install... I can figure out that you miss the kernel-source installed. Check them with your usual package manager.

i currently have suse 10.2 i'm pretty sure the kernel is 2.6.18.2

is there something else that i should have that did not get installed when i first installed suse?

in the package manager look for a package called kernel-header or soemthing similar. If you are wanting to compile a kde application make sure you installed the kde-dev package also.

The default install very often does not include the source code. It will, however, be in your repository--or perhaps also on the install CD or DVD.
All you need to compile SW is the kernel headers that match the kernel you have installed. Most distros let you get this separately.

On suse 10.2 you have to install
kernel-source-2.6.18.2-34
linux-kernel-headers-2.6.18.2-3

Only the headers, n'est-ce pas??

ok this is my last question. If I install a package and decide I no longer want to use it, how do I go about uninstalling it?

If it is a package you installed using YaST, then you can search for it in the Software Manager, right click and select "Delete".

There is an rpm command "rpm -e <package name>" the will remove (erase) RPM packages.

Yeah! Sorry... to compile other software you will need the headers only! Touchè!

Sometimes there will be an uninstall file that comes with the tar.gz file (I am assuming it is a .tar.gz file). All you have to do is type:
Of course there are going to be some variations, and not all software comes with this.

sometime i try to install such program using

./configure
make
make install

but never done well....although i read a README file too many times
so im refer to package manager such adept