Based on your preference, set KDE_PREFIX.

One option is to put KDE into the /usr hierarchy. This creates a simpler setup but is more difficult to try multiple versions of KDE.

export KDE_PREFIX=/usr

A method of building multiple versions installs KDE in the /opt hierarchy:

export KDE_PREFIX=/opt/kde-3.5.6

Remember to execute ldconfig after installation of libraries to update the library cache.

If you are not installing KDE in /usr, you will need to make some configuration changes:

You should consider installing the desktop-file-utils-0.11 package. Though not required, this package will allow you to easily use existing .desktop files in /usr/share/applications (and any other locations identified by XDG_DATA_DIRS), and automatically add these applications to the KDE menu system.

Add to your system or personal profile:

export PATH=$PATH:/opt/kde-3.5.6/bin
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$PKG_CONFIG_PATH:/opt/kde-3.5.6/lib/pkgconfig

Add to your /etc/ld.so.conf:

cat >> /etc/ld.so.conf << "EOF"
# Begin kde addition to /etc/ld.so.conf

/opt/kde-3.5.6/lib

# End kde addition
EOF

Add to your /etc/man_db.conf:

cat >> /etc/man_db.conf << "EOF"
# Begin kde addition to man_db.conf

MANDATORY_MANPATH /opt/kde-3.5.6/man

# End kde addition to man_db.conf
EOF