It depends how the application was written, usually you go into the folder type ./configure --help to get the list of configure options. Thne type ./configure (chosen options), make, make install.

This method will place all files in the proper directories, but will not update your application manager, so uninstallation would have to be manual.

Have you searched the net for "vcdgear deb"? This should point you to a debian or ubuntu repo that has the program in a precompiled form.