Most Linux distro comes with a package manager that allows you to easily install binary package (DEB or RPM). However, if you are planning to customize the software you are installing, like adding additional features, then you might want to use the source packages and compile them yourself. Here is how you can do so.
“Apt-get” may be the default installer in Ubuntu, but when it comes to installing large sets of software, it can be really slow and obsolete. Fortunately, there’s a “tasksel”, which is just like a “apt-get for apt-get”.