How to Create a .deb package from Source files

If your build from source is successful, you can make a Debian (Ubuntu) package (.deb) for future use or can distribute to other users:

Install package tools: sudo apt-get install checkinstall

CheckInstall keeps track of all files installed by a "make install" or equivalent, creates a Slackware, RPM, or Debian package with those files, and adds it to the installed packages database, allowing for easy package removal or distribution.

Rebuild package using "checkinstall":

cd /path/to/extracted/package
./configure
sudo make
sudo checkinstall

Keep the resulting ".deb" file for future use. It can later be installed using:

sudo dpkg -i packagename.deb

Note: These are basic instructions that may not always work. Some packages require additional dependencies and optional parameters to be specified in order to build them successfully. Also see these Ubuntu wiki instructions.