New user needs help

root cannot login by default, if you want to run a program as root use sudo, e.g.
sudo bash
will ask you for a password (your user's password) and run a root shell (bash).

I don't know what 'Turboprint' is, anyway if you have a .tgz file, this means it is a 'compressed folder' (like a .zip). To extract it use
tar xfz file_name.tgz
Altough you should be able to open it from your file manager (e.g. nautilus).
Usually this 'packages' contain a README or INSTALL file which may give you instructions on how to install the software.

On terminal tape:
sudo passwd root
Password: your password for normal user
Enter new UNIX password: password for root
Retype new UNIX password: password for root again
 Done .. now you can login like root

or you can open a terminal and type:
sudo -s -H

and it will prompt you for a password and from there on in you will be root.

It's recommended that you do *not* enable the root account. Use sudo; you'll find it works very well, and it's more like the Ubuntu way.

sudo <command>
sudo -s (shell session, just like su)
sudo -i (login session, like a root login)

Information as above should guide you on extracting Turboprint and looking around.

Turboprint works fine on Ubuntu, I've been using it for awhile.

as root:
apt-get install libgtk1.2
tar zxvf turboprint-1.94-2.tgz
cd turboprint-1.94
./setup
select your language, click OK
Program Files: /user/share/turboprint
Print Spooler: Cups
Click Advanced Settings
Spool Dir: /var/spool/cups
Cups Drivers: /usr/share/cups/model
Cups Filters: /usr/lib/cups/filter
Click Start Installation

And the rest of the installation you should be able to figure out on your own. Also, only use Turboprint's admin dialogs to maintain your printers, GNOME and KDE's stuff doesn't work as well and sometimes screws stuff up.

I have downloaded turboprint also and cannot install it. I do not know how to enter the "root" and I do not understand what sudo is nor how to use it. This newbie really needs help from a few steps back. I keep reading help documents but I can't catch up with the implications. I have too many holes in my understanding. I need information that assimilates a windows environemtn and descriptions that I can at least find something to equate. I am trying to print to a Canon i860 via my network with a WIN xp desktop.
Any low level understanding suggestions? I think that is what this person needs too.