New to linux?
From Yade
This page is rather old and the description differs from the installation procedure of more recent kubuntu distribution, though some steps are still relevant. Consider getting help for installation at kubuntu website.
If you want to try yade, but have never used linux before, then here is a guide for you. Follow it step by step, and you will have yade running on your freshly installed linux system.
Installing kubuntu
Currently the easiest linux system around is kubuntu, so I have downloaded latest kubuntu DVD (it's Feisty 7.04, DVDs are on the webpage for download) and installed from it. Installation is very nice and easy in only 6 steps, so try it, and you'll be surprised. It even can automatically resize windows partition for you and make space on the hard disk, so you can install without any troubles, and do not lose your windows installation (but better to have a backup, anyway ;).
This guide should work with ubuntu as well. The only difference is that with ubuntu you will not use 'adept', but 'synaptic', and that's all.
Network
After installation, when kubuntu starts first make sure that you have working internet. Most of the cases it will work, unless you have some non-standard internet connection. So if it will not work (very unlikely) you will have to ask your network administrator to set the connection for you. He will have to edit file /etc/network/interfaces, possibly create file /etc/resolv.conf, and then do /etc/init.d/networking restart . To obtain root privileages just type sudo su, and your password. All that can be done using terminal (called konsole), you can find it in menu K->System->Konsole
Doing kubuntu update
To manage packages installed on your system you can run K->System->Adept, then type your password. First you should enable package repositories, so that you can download latest versions of software from the internet. Click in upper menu Adept->Manage Repositories and you will see a list of possible sources from which software will be downloaded. Right click on each line that in column "distribution" has a name feisty, feisty-updates or feisty-security (skip feisty-backports) then pick "enable" from the menu. Also everywhere where it is written "main" in the third column you need to replace it with "main restricted". After that click "Apply" on the bottom, then "Close". Now click icon "Fetch updates", wait a bit. Then click "Full upgrade" and "Apply changes" - that will download latest versions of all programs, it will take a bit of time. When it is finished, it's a good idea to restart the computer, because most likely the linux kernel has been updated among other packages.