Trouble with OpenOffice 3 installation (very new user!)

I am very very very new to linux (2 days, in fact.)

I've managed to update my browser to firefox 3, and was hoping to update my openoffice to 3.
However, all of the above has been done by code-copying into terminal.

While installing openoffice 3 through terminal, my icons for openoffice have now disappeared, and there is nothing left in my 'work' box on the main menu. I've tried rebooting, and have no idea what to do next. I would be fine to go back to the old version of openoffice, but have no idea how to remove what i have already, or even what state i am in.

Desperately need some help!

 

UPDATE:

I've managed to get openoffice 2.4 installed somehow.

Only thing is, it's telling me
'home/user/%U' does not exist

any help?