Questions: gcc3.2 setup and usage in i686 Linxu2.4.7

[damovand <Llappin4 at netscape dot net>]

Hello list members,
I'm new to this list and new with technical issues dealing with compiler 
installation.  Please be patient with my elementary or if this is not 
the right mailing list for novice questions please direct me to the 
right list?  Thanks in advance.

I installed gcc-3.2 for C++, C and objc on my linux with the following 
properties:

> uname -a linux myhostname 2.4.7-10 #1 Thu Sep 6 17:27:27 EDT 2001 
i686 unknown

No errors halted the process but I can't compile my simple test program. 
 Every line generates errors.  I've either left out something in the 
process of installation or things didn't get installed where they should 
be. I went through the five steps listed on the website, but may be 
there is something more that should be done and everyone knows about it 
but me.  I tried figuring out how to use the compiler by looking through 
what's installed and came away with more questions.  I hope someone 
could help me with these question. I've also copied my conf.status.

1- I found i386-glibc21-linux had already been installed on my machine. 
 At first I thought that was the compiler but now I think that is a set 
of libraries that make compiling of gcc compiler and other programs 
possible.  Am I correct?

2- I found a number 'testsuite' subdirectories all over but they 
contained only a Makefile and no test files.  Why is there no test 
programs under 'testsuite' subdirectories.  I downloaded gcc-3.2.tar 
shouldn't that contain everything?
3- I found a number 'include' subdirectories, which include subdirectory 
contains the header files that are included in application programs and 
must be specified with -I flag at compile time.   I saw for example 
vector.h is under several different include subdirectories, why and 
which one should one pass to the compiler?
4- Are the Makefiles under 'testsutie' subdirectories just templates or 
are they supposed to contain references to real and existing 
subdirectories?  Am I in trouble if the subdirectory references do not 
match my installation?

5- Now even simpler questions, what should be the suffix of my C++ 
program, cpp or c++ or g++?  What is the command to invoke the C++ 
compiler g++ or cc or c++?
6- Is there a manual for people with no prior knowledge of gcc compilers 
and how to set up a compiler?

I appreciate all of your attention and patience and any help
LLappin


---------- My conf.status ---------------

#!/bin/sh
# This file was generated automatically by configure.  Do not edit.
# This directory was configured as follows:
/usr/local/gcc-3.2/configure 
--with-gcc-version-trigger=/usr/local/gcc-3.2/gcc/version.c 
--host=i686-pc-linux-gnu --program-suffix=-3.2 --enable-shared 
--enable-threads --enable-languages=c,c++,objc --norecursion
# using "mh-frag" and "mt-frag"

------------------------------------------