I recently download the GIMP 2.02 for windows and GTK+ runtime env. I extracted the .tar file but dont know how to install or use the program. please help.

I tried and installed the same a while ago. It is supposedly a good graphics program, but I could not figure out head or tail, so I uninstalled it.
Since then I have been using Irfanview for viewing and red-eye removal, and ASmallerImage for re-sizing photos (great for web-site photos).
Tried Photoshop and PaintShopPro, but they are too complicated for my needs. Ended up with Ulead Photoimpact 8, which I like.

Some more Gimp-info can be found here, if you insist: http://www.gimp.org/~tml/gimp/win32/ and
http://www.cam.com/gimp/

Download GTK+ and GIMP packages from http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjsimo/gimp/stable.html.

Unzip them.

Run the executables.

Start GIMP from Start Menu (or from Desktop / Quick Launch icon if you installed those).

Realblackstuff: All applications require learning to use them. Even Ulead Photoimpact 8. But feel free to use any application you like.

i have gimp and psp8, i think they are very much alike. gimp has some features psp doesnt and psp has some features gimp doesnt. i like gimp better because it doesnt take up the whole screen as psp does.