How to install softwared download from internet?

[jumbo000]

Hi, Can I anyone explain the process of installing software(any non-RPM) I download Adobe Acrobat Reader (tar.gz file) ,decompressed it to temporary diretory, and run INSTALL script. Now I'm lost. Don't know what to do next(inside its new folder...created by script. There are tons of read-text file but doesn't seem to help) Do I have to compile it,etc.?
When people say "Compile" does it mean using "./configure" and "Make install" command? Also dependecies problem: If package requires some library. does copying library files to /lib directory complete the job?
Sorry I'm very new to Linux

[GaryJones32]

it all depends on how the package is setup.
read README and INSTALL for instructions.
if there is an install script or build script then that automates the process
run it as root.
otherwise ./configure
creates the Makefile
make compiles the program
make install installs it.
run make install as root.
sometimes it works fine to just get a copy of the needed library and stick it in
if the build complains it needs header files foo.h
then you need the developement package for the library

[re-v]

I'm curious... Why are you using acrobat reader.
What distro and rev are you using?
Most distros come with a postscript reader. called ghostscript you can either execute this from the gui kde or gnome or
from the cli (shell prompt) $ ghostscript filename
hth
re-v