New user struggling.

[Bill]

Hello,

I use MS Money in XP and am looking for an alternative when, if, I migrate to a Linux OS.  At present, I am trying Ubuntu 6.0.  GNUCash is packed with this installation, but not the latest version.  I have downloaded the files for v2.0.2 and although I can unpack them, I cannot install the application.  Help somewhere on your site says that instructions for installing are available, but I have only found a guide to downloading.  If this help exists, where is it, please?

In the meantime, I am trying to learn the system that I have.  Although the help files are extensive, they would be easier to use if search was improved.  I appreciate that search may have to be limited to a single word, but if the result was highlighted it would be a great improvement.  Also, is there a glossary?

I have tried two parallel approaches, importing qif files exported from Money, and creating a setup from scratch modelled on my present arrangement as far as possible, but following the advice in the tutorial.  I did, however, create the accounts without entering the opening balance at the time, and now I find it very difficult to get it right.  A correct method is not described in the manual. Is there one?

Am I correct in deducing that GNUCash cannot keep a record of the price history of stocks?  Although the application can deal with many currencies, including the £ (GB Pound) which is my currency, and the Euro, all the investment part of the program seems to have been written for users in the US.  I could update my accounts and stock values on line, but prefer not to do so.  Am I expecting too much of GNUCash?

The imported files resulted in a very muddled, almost unstructured, file in which the information might well be present, but it is difficult to access.  If I persevere, it will only be with freshly created files.

Any advice will be most welcome.

Regards,

Bill.