problems installing new programmes

[yanvolking]

Good Morning Community,

Being new to UBUNTU (september 2009) I have worked out how to use SYNAPTIC and "ADD/REMOVE software" to install / uninstall new software. Although those two options offer a wide variety of possibilities, they do not offer certain programmes that I find on sites such as SOFTONIC.COM. Installing programmes from such sites is a complete mystery to me. Here is an examplpe:

Downloading and installing "Mobile Media Converter" from the Linux section of Softonic.

I press the "download now" button on the web page

I get the download dialog box which shows the progression of the downloading process of a file called MMC.LIN.TAR.GZ. When the progress bar is complete I click on the MMC.LIN.TAR.GZ section of the download dialog box and get the following option:

OPEN WITH ARCHIVE MANAGER. I click on this and get another dialog box which basically shows an archive named "MOBILE MEDIA CONVERTER" along with info on its size (8.5MB), type (folder) and date modified (25.09.2009). But then when I click on the archive, instead of activating an installation process similar to what SYNAPTIC does, it just opens up the archive to reveal a load of files. I cannot find any functions that relate to this archive and which hint at anything like activating or installing it.

How can I install such files?????

[Joshua Lückers]

It probably means you have to compile it. There should be a README somewhere in that package explaining how to install it.
Maybe you can post a list of files the archive contains.

[ithinkitschad]

Every program you install will be different, but you can right cick that file, and select "extract here" then go into that folder and there should be a "README" file that will hopefully tell you how to install it.