installing Firebox 3 beta 2

Executables are not used to install applications in Linux.

To install an application you open Synaptic, find the package you're looking for, select, and install.

It's possible to install packages from the source code or a partially compiled binary, but it's easiest to stick with the package manager until you understand how these packages are managed.

The package manager (synaptic) also has a section to add repositories which will increase the number of applications you have available to you.

Hope this helps ease your transition. You can also visit #ubuntu on irc.freenode.net to obtain more help.

i managed to open the synaptic but the package is not in there, I have downloaded beta 5. How do i get it in the synaptic package?

i think you are downloading .tar or .tar.gz packages
for that
you can also follow http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installingsoftware
and https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CompilingEasyHowTo

normally the archive you download toinstall an application have an executable file either a *.bin file or a script such as *.sh or *.pl such as install.sh googlearth.bin
open terminal -- navigate to the folder created after decompressing archive and execute that script or .bin file in that terminal

by the way------ why do you want to down load firefox 3 bete 2 when a better version is available in repository?????

hope that helps

I have read all the how to and basically I am no farther ahead.

 I tried the beta 2 because at the time it was what I found when I did a search. But cant get that or any other version into the synaptic.

 I managed to get thunderbird email installed but now its in a file and I cant activate it. When I go to the synaptic it says installed. Now how do I use it?? I cant get it to the desktop to work with.

I downloaded Linus Ubuntu only a few days ago, because I got fed up with Windows Vista. I managed to repartition my HD and get ubuntu working but its when i try working within Ubuntu I have run into many frustrations.

Regarding your advice Amit, I went to the second link and tried to build a directory as stated but there it wouldnt accept this command, sudo chown Mike /usr/local/src, it says invalid username but thats the name i use to sign in.

So to sum up it seems like I have two problems: How to I get a program into synaptic, i.e. Firefox 3.0.4 beta 5??

and secondly once its installed as is the Thunderbird email, How do I get to utilize it?? Its now in a file which I can access but cant do anything with. By the way thanks for the help.

I managed to get thunderbird working, so I assume I will eventually get the hang of this. Thanks for all the help and all the links to get me going.

sorry i was not able to attend your question

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as a new person in ubuntu i would suggest you to have a look at in built help system
press F1 while on desktop and all other windows minimized
you will see the help browser there is a lot of info in there
about installing software etc.

otherwise you can have a look at
https://help.ubuntu.com/
select your distribution there and search for info needed

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regarding your problem

in synaptic you have to reload the package info if you have not done already
then you would have a new list of application available (also update manager would notify you in case of updates)

a how to regarding synaptic
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto

i would also like to suggest that you also search and post questions that you have on ubuntu forums
http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php
as that is the default site for support for ubuntu

however firefox 3.04 present in repo is not beta