What is the objective of Configure, Make, Make Install?

[Andrew Haley]

rkarthi2k5 wrote:

>             I installed the gcc and  other softwares wlth .tar extension. We
> have to do a step by step procedure while installing the  sofware which have
> .tar extension. 
> 
>              1) First, we have to unzip the file and give ./configure 
>              2) Second, we have to give make
>  	     3) Third, we logon to root and give make install.

gcc is written for lots of different types of computer.  The configure
step customizes the build for the computer that you're using.

The rest is pretty obvious, I would have thought: make actually
compiles gcc, and make install installs it where you need it to
be.  You don't want to install gcc until you've built and tested
it.

Andrew.