I ran the configure file for a program and now, according to the instructions I'm supposed to type "make" and then "make install" to run the configure file I typed "/home/endezeichen/program3-.48/configure" What do I do with "make" and "make install"?
Thanks

go to a command prompt and enter:

cd /home/endezeichen/program3-.48/
./configure

** If configure reported any errors report them **

make

** If make fails report it **

su
<enter root password>
make install

exit the shell and your new software should
be installed.

configure is a script that checks that you have
certain libraries and makes sure you will be able
to compile the program.

make is a system command and it reads a makefile
the default is to try and make a file called Makefile
that resides in your current directory (the directory
you are in at the moment not a directory named
"current". The default for makefiles is to compile
the software to be installed. make install uses the
same default file Makefile but this time goes to the
"install" section where there should be instructions
on where to place the compiled program

for instructions on installing from source see the sticky thread at the top of Linux - General forum.