Trying to install stuff on Knoppix 3.6

[tofu]

So I got Knoppix on my HDD.... and I downloaded Adobe Acrobat Reader so I can read school files that are PDF. I downloaded a tar.gz and used Ark to extract it. Then I went into Konsole and tried

./configure

it gave me: bash: . /configure: No such file or directory.

I don't know what to do, I googled and I found that the way to install tar.gz is to ./configure, make, su, make install. But I can't even get past the first step! Help! I tried using Root... Yes, this is in the directory I extracted it to...

[tofu]

Ah. I always speak too soon. I should've ./install instead of ./configure... it's a script, stupid me...

hm... now that it's installed... how do I make it a link from the toolbar.... i'm brand new at linux!

[tofu]

Awesome, it's a me only thread. Anyway, sorry about the triple post. I ran into a problem trying to install firefox.

I did ./firefox-installer and it gave me: Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

(firefox-installer-bin:28050): Gtk-WARNING **.cannot open display:

Help..?

[CrashedAgain]

Awesome, it's a me only thread.

Not no more.
Wheninstalling stuff in Debian (Knoppix), always use the .deb packages unless you can't find any. The single exception I've found that seems to work well is Openoffice, it's installer works with no problems.
There is an overview of Debian package installer here: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14705
and also check out the apt-get/dpkg tutorial in the HddInstall forum.