[newbie] C++ compiler problem

[duncan]

hi all
i seem to be having problems installing programs.

I am pretty new to all this,but have downloaded ZZplayer an mpeg player
and untarred and ungzipped it but then cannot get it to compile with
./configure keep getting error no acceptable C++-compiler found in$path.

Is this simply that C++ isn't installed?
I have re compiled the kernel successfully on this setup,but is C++
different.

any help would be great

Dunc