An extremely stupid question about installing programs.

[Wallex]

I know, I could have searched this out on my own, or learn by trial or error... but well, making errors is something I don't wanna risk while still being new at Linux.
They tell me the process to install .tar.gz files is:
tar -xvf filename:
sort of uncompresses the file, and creates a directory where all the files are placed.
Go into that new dir
configure: to make sure you have all you need
make: see if it works
make install: install the program for good?

What I don't know is... this folder that I create by uncompressing the file, is it temporal or the definitive directory where the program will reside?
And once I know which is the principal directory where it will be installed, where should that directory go? In the bin? in some folder inside my user's directory? Where should I place the program?
I've search around a bit for this, but well.. they explain me the steps to get a program installed, but not where it'll exactly end up being installed.
Can anyone clear up this please?

[windoze killa]

Ok. Not being a programmer whip I can't answer for sure. ut from what I have been led to believe is that when you uncompress to that directory, configure and then make the program will generally run fin from there. If you do a make install it will then put all the files in the right places. I hope I have got that right.

Generally I do not do the make install unless the instructions specifically tell me to do so because I have found that some of the things I have installed are a waste of disk space or don't run properly (probably something I did wrong but too lazy to work it out so I just delete it).

[Wallex]

So it is as I thought....
I wasn't sure which was the difference between make and make install, but now that you mention that, it does makes sense to me. I guess I'll most of the time get going without using the install option.. but either way, I hope the programs bring a readme! Ya thanks for clearing things up (?), unless ya are wrong, in that case someone else should clear things up before I start talking about this as if I knew and then start spreading false rumors about Linux on the web and noone knows how far it could get... well, gotta go install some programs!

[troll777]

I don't wish to sow the seeds of discord, but sometimes they will tell you you have to edit the make file to give proper install paths, or even to correctly select the compiler, ecetera, so it is best to read all the information before you begin.

Often also, after the install, you can run "make clean", this will get rid of all the object files, and you can store the code somewhere else if you plan to recompile later. Or if not delete the entire directory. Though you should make sure everything has been installed correctly first.

As for the difference between make and make install, the same program is run but with different arguments. If you open up the make file which will be named "Makefile" or "makefile" (it normally has a capitilized 'M' so it is a the top of a 'ls' listing) or something similiar you can search the document for the word "install" and you will find something like

install:
mv somthing,something to something,something

so when you call make install you are telling the make program to 'execute' the 'install' section of the make file. It doesn't need to be called install, but it is. :)

Some goes for "make clean", for more info, look at the man pages for make or the info pages. Of course none of this may interest you at all, in that case forget it. I know noooothink!!!!