I have several files that are in DjVu format. Is there a version of DjVu that will run under Freespire linux? I dont need something that I have to compile, link, or other esoteric function. I just need something I can download and use.

Check here: http://djvu.sourceforge.net/index.html.

Puppy and Freespire aren't on the precompiled list, though. Most of the time, you just have to decompress the source code, go into the directory, type in "./configure", then "make && make install", and that's it.

OK, I did that and all seemed to go well as there were no reports of errors and the computer didnt hang up. But what now.? Where is it? How do I run it?

And more importantly, you have taught me something BUT, where did you learn it? I get tired of asking questions like a dunderhead and would like to know the source of all this knowledge so I could learn it myself. All I can do now is write down what I did and then repeat it again like a robot.

I spent 40 years programming in many languages including C and C++ but when I needed to know something there was always a manual to look in. For Linux there is NO MANUAL to look things up in!!

There are lots of manuals and documentation. Typing in "man <command name>" at the command line will give you complete information about that command, sometimes with examples. This site is another reference, as well as lots of books from Amazon.com or your local bookstore. The documentation in almost every program you download, tells you how to compile it, install it, and use it. The site link in this post has complete documentation on how to use/run the program.

Yes, but what command? I dont know the commands!!!!! If I knew them I wouldnt need documentation!!!!

Ever see a DOS manual from the 70s? That is what I need. One that tells me the command names with a description of what they will do. Just blindly typing in command names doesnt get me anywhere.

apropos is good for this.

And as one of many sources of information you han start here:
http://tldp.org/

[edit]
I know little of the subject of this thread except that the format is not widely used (yet?) and that some programs here on my machine are built to support it in case I should come across such a thing sometime.
Documentation I found:
http://djvu.sourceforge.net/doc/index.html

"djview file_name"

From where? In the console or in the Run command on the desktop? From within the directory where the file is or from within the directory where the DjVu program is? Or do they both have to be in the same directory?

You need to run djview from the command line. For the rest of your questions: you either need to give the full path to your file, or be in the same directory as the file. The djview program should be in one of the directories in your $PATH, which means you can run it from anywhere without giving the full path to it (the shell looks for executables in the list of directories given in $PATH). So, you can run

djview foo.djvu from the directory containing foo.djvu, or

djview /foo/bar/foo.djvu if foo.djvu is in directory /foo/bar.

HTH