More complete noob questions.
 

Completely new to Linux, I installed Slackware 8.1 yesterday. The idea was to install hybrid7 (ircd software). After getting it on the machine and using the tar command then the ./configure --help (basically the only 2 commands ive used ever besides startx) it scared me (looks very complicated) and i obviously need to know more about Linux if im gonna get anywhere. Annnnyway.

How do i actually run programs after theyve been decompressed?

How can i get to the home dir using the windoze explorer type thing in Slackware 8.1 KDE 3.0?

In KDE as soon as it starts i get this:

error while initializing sound driver

device /dev/dsp cant be opened (Permission denied)

the sound server will continue using the null output device.

Its a dell latitude c600 (ESS Maestro soundcard).

Ive read some of the linux on your laptop guides but they all seem to assume the person knows what they are doing and i definately do not (i know absolutely nothing yet basically)... :(

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

I highly suggest that you install some newb distro like mandrake or red hat. and get a book on linux.

What distro do you guys suggest? Im a complete noob, but a fast learner.

Will i still be able to run hybrid7 etc on say Redhat 9 ?

Any distro will do, becase almost all of them run the same core, or kernel. You should get RedHat 9 if you want technical support and fast upgrades+nice gui programs to modify your config. files. Slackware is pretty intense, but thats cool you set it up. The steps for building the program are the following (replace hybird7etc with the filename:
get into console
extract the file (gzip -d hybird7etc.tgz)
un tar it (tar -xf hybird7etc.tar)
go into the directory (cd hybird7etc)
configure it to be compiled on your system (./configure)
it will run through a long list of variables, it's kinda like a checklist/info about your system
compile it (make)
compile the install (make install)

and viola, one compiled program. to find where it installed, type whereis hybird7 and it will list all the places of the configuration/run files. cd or change directories to the place where it is, probally like /usr/sbin and then type ./hybird7 to run it.

Get latest Knoppix CD or download and burn ISO from www.knoppix.net and try everything out without installing!
Latest Knoppix may have hybrid 7. If not....
If you want to install Knoppix Linux to HDD you can.
Then get the Hybrid -7 package from the internet
apt-get install hybrid 7
or
http://packages.debian.org/unstable/...cd-hybrid.html
http://packages.debian.org/unstable/...ybrid-dev.html

and download these and install them by putting into your home directory and running
dpkg -i hybrid-dev 1:7.0-3.deb
dpkg -i ircd-hybrid 1:7.0-3.deb