This is the INSTALL instructions for a binary distribution of GHC. For more details on what on earth this package is up to, please consult the README and ANNOUNCE. This distribution can be installed in a location of your choosing. To set the ball rolling, run the configure script (as usual, run the script with --help to see what options it supports). eg. to set up the package for installing in directory , use ./configure --prefix= The default installation directory is /usr/local. The configure script will figure out what platform you're running on, and a couple of other interesting pieces of trivia, which it will then fill in the Makefile.in template to give you a real Makefile. If you're of a paranoid persuasion, you might want to take a look at this Makefile to see if the information is correct. Now run: make install For more information, full GHC documentation is available from the main GHC site: http://www.haskell.org/ghc Bug reports/suggestions for improvement to the installation procedure/setup (as well as other GHC related troubles you're experiencing, of course), gratefully received. Bug reporting instructions are here: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/reportabug Enjoy, -- The GHC Team.