Newbie question - nstalling/updating Thunderbird in 7.10

[Charly Avital]

Newbie to Linux!

Running Ubuntu 7.10 under virtual-ware Parallels 3.0 for Macintosh.
Since its installation, I have kept it updated and patched regularly.

I am still running Thunderbird 2.0.0.6, and trying to upgrade to 2.0.0.9.

I have downloaded Linux Thunderbird 2.0.0.9 for i386 from mozdev's web
site (using Firefox 2.0.0.11).

I tried to follow the indications of a web site named "how to install
anything in Ubuntu" (or something like that).

After cd to the extracted archive, I tried ./configure, but it cannot
work because, I believe, the archive does not include a configure sh. I
have tried, after cd to that archive, to run checkinstall (after
installing checkinstall), but the process aborts.

Thanks in advance for your attention.
Charly