ok, well I kind of answered my own stupidity here. Sorry, if it helps anyone else, I'll write up my progress here.
step one (on Ubuntu 13.04)
cd /var/www
sudo mkdir toast
step two
run the Gnome Archive manager
Extract the seotoaster.v2.1.0.ecommerce.v2.1.0.zip file to the "toast" folder.
Done!
Open Chrome or FF (I don't use IE and have lived happily since swithcing to Ubuntu solely as my desktop OS 11 years back - no virii, no BSODs...)
go to localhost/toast
et Voila!
merci!
Gracias
err, thanks.
Now I just have to figure out out to undo the file permission mess I made as I know It is mad to leave toast as a 777 permission.
G