I have a few q's regarding installing and removing programs.

1. Ok, so I download a tar.gz or an rpm or a package file like that. I go about the process of untar-ing it etc and it makes a directory with a bunch of files in it, I ./configure or make install etc, to install the program......
BUT THE QUESTIONS IS: is that program now installed to someplace like /usr/local/bin or /opt/kde/bin and it is safe to delete the directory where I untarred everything?
For example a KDE addon game. I install it, and now run the game from /opt/kde/bin/ so can I now delete the temp directory where I untarred/gunzipped everything?

2. Lets say I don't like a game or program I install, how do i delete it?

3. Lets say something goes wrong in the installa nd I say 'bugger it, I'll get rid of it'.... how can i locate the files that MAY have been copied over so i can delete it all together??

Thanks,
Steve

1) Yes it is safe for you to delete the installation source. However, (this is related to your question 2) if you need to uninstall the program, there might be a make uninstall option to ease this process.

2) Most apps have a make uninstall option. But for those that don't, you have to remove them manually, which can be a pain.

3) There are some solutions like checkinstall... also, you can make Slackware packages for things you install and (un)install them using pkgtools.

that was my next question, is it possible to convert rpms and pretty much any files i get in a zip or whatever into a slackware package, so all i have to do is use pkgtool?

How do u use pkgtool to remove a program? have it scan for all installed progs then you select the one to delete?

Converting RPMs to Slackware packages:
rpm2tgz filename.rpm

Making slackware packages from source files:
Click Here