Help installing applications (Kubuntu)

[Wuzzie]

Hi
This is a VERY n00bish question, it's because I have switched from Windows.

Anyway, Is there a real way you are meant to install things?
I mean, most of the applications I have downloaded are .deb's and .tar.gz files. These are kinda like zip/rar/compressed files.

Is the a real way I am meant to install these things? If I open a debian file it has 3 files: something, controls and somethign else. (sorry for being so useless) The last one seems to have all the application's files.

Is there a command I can use somhow that just installs it all in the correct place and adds to to the applications list, or is it all done manually?

I am using Kubuntu 5.04 (KDE version of Ubuntu)

[eugrus]

RTFM! http://www.linuxforums.org/tutorials...ial-19957.html

[compmodder26]

If you are a real newbie, you should stick with packages. These are by far the easiest to install. Check out http://ubuntuguide.org/. This shows you how to some of the more popular software installed. If you want to search for other software then use Kynaptic (it is installed by default in Kubuntu). It's really simple to use.