1. RPM Package. Basically you can double click to install like EXE in window.
1) open a shell window, type rpm -qa XXX* to search software you installed, like   rpm -pa realplay* to search all realplayer.
2)then use rpm -e firefox-1.0.1-1.3.2 to uninstall firefox
    to search installed directory, use rpm -ql firefox-1.0.1-1.3.2

2. tar.gz(bz or bz2) package
1) open a shell window,  use cd to change directory to where the package is in.
2)tar -zxvf  ***.tar.gz
    tar -jxvf  ****.tar.bz(or bz2)
3) cd to the directory which you have just extracted. 
4)type ./configure
5)type make
6)type sudo make install(or use root account to install)
How to uninstall.   cd to the original directory you have extracted. Type make uninstall(maybe need sudo)

install directory:  if you use ./configure --prefix=/**,  like  ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/aaa when you want to install , use would install this software to such location  /usr/local/aaa

3. bin package
1)open a shell window, cd to where you have put the bin files.
2)chmod +x ***.bin    to add executable property
3)type   ./****.bin
How to uninstall:   just remove the folder which the software installed.