Ok this is my first post ever from my new linux machine... I'm so happy!

Well I jumped head first into linux with Mandrake 10 and so far so good. I had some problems with the on board sis soundcard but after a few hours of tweeking, I got that to work.

The only beef I have so far is the speed of the Konqueror browser that I'm using which is extremely SLOW, but Im still a so I guess in time I can find a way to fix this.

... Wow! Is that the spell checker thingie highlighting all my missspelled words in the form??? Cool... erm... Sorry...

Anyway on to my problem, After installing Mandrake and removing any and all vistages of windows on my system, I realized that most of my clients use hotmail and that I need to somehow check my email from them. Right now I use my browser to check my email but I need somthing a bit more productive.

After doing a bit of reasearch I found HotWay which, from what I can see is suppose to allow you, with the help of another program or plugin to connect to the hotmail server, using Kmail (the email program that Im using) thus emulating a pop3 server. (Sorry If im using wrong termonology here Im very new to this.)

But even though I've been all the help files that I can find I can't seem to get anything to work. I installed the rpm for Hotway (at least I think I did) but that other program which Im suppose to Compile have left me confused!

How do you compile somthing... And when I say how do you compile I mean HOW DO YOU COMPILE! I have NO idea where to begin! Where do I start? Wheredo I click? What do open? What do I type? We're talking here. So any help will be greatly appreciated.

Oh and by the way... If you are going to help... Please be as specific as possible, because chances are that you'll loost me... One day I'll look back on this and laugh.

Thanks in advance
Isaiah

Most applications source tars come with a README or a txt file inside the application directory that you untarred which gives you relatively clear examples on how you should compile the app.

But the generic steps are:[using term, within the app directory]

./configure [flags]
make
make install

I HIGHLY recommend that you google to find the EXACT install procedures for your app rather than using what I just typed above. I'm just giving you an example, s'all.

good luck.