Install software from source files?
 

Sometimes some softwares just provide source code for installing. But I am very confused to install from source code. For exemple, using make & makefile to compile source code. So I just can download binary code for installing softwall but the distridution of binary code is too late. Can someone tell some useful sites or rreference materials about installation from source code? Thank you!

edit: [forget it, didnt notice the solaris forum was in question. My help has linux specific.. sorry]