Installing software in mandrake falls into two major categories, first are rpm files and the second is source or tar files.
Rpm files are the easiest. Just click and let them run them selves, they are like the exe files you are used to in windows. You can take it up a step and use the command line to install them, in order to do this you need to mix the rpm command with various modifiers and the file name. Something like
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Rpm –Uvh somefile.rpm
The modifiers (letters after the -) will change with each install.
Second is the source code install. Those usually come in tar files, much like zip files in windows. First you have to extract them into a folder, than go into that folder and read the readme file. The readme file will tell you what special things you may need to do to compile the program. Usually you will run the three following commands
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./configure
make
make install
::::Edit:::: Make install should be two words, not one :::::
However, I would suggest always reading the readme files for each program you intend to install. That’s what’s going to help you the most. What ever commands you end up having to run, always watch for error messages, that will be your first clue that somethings going wrong and how to fix it.
As for installing from the CD I am not quite sure what you are trying to do. I have never seen a linux program (other than the distro itself) come on a CD. Linux doesn’t have the “auto run install” feature like windows. If you want help installing this specific piece of software, write back and tell us what exactly you are trying to install.