[PLUG] Linux newbie needs guidance

[Richard Owlett]

Though a computer _user_ from vacuum tube era, I'm still new to Linux.
I run Debian Stretch (Testing) and typically install using Synaptic or 
apt-get.

I am currently running Tomboy 1.14.1 from the Debian repository and wish 
to run the latest version from upstream. There is not a .deb package for 
it. I have downloaded & extracted 
<https://download.gnome.org/sources/tomboy/1.15/tomboy-1.15.8.tar.xz>
to a directory set aside for non-Debian software.

What to do after having backed-up my existing notes?

I suspect it's only a couple of commands.
What I'm looking for is some documentation describing the process.
A cookbook solution would be nice but my goal is to know what I'm doing.

My motto is "If retirement isn't for education, what use is it?"

TIA