I am also an unseasoned newbie. I have read the documentation. I log in and do exactly as instructed and nowhere

do I see any reference to MODULE DEFINITION. In fact there is no "HOST" menu link anywhere. So as much as

everyone seems to think the documentation is a blissful step by step romp through the installation procedure, in reality it isn't.

OK I have now figured out that the documentatioon is outdated. However, i 
haven't a CLUE as to how to install the forum module. I don't know whether 
to down load the source or the install or...?  Where is the guidance when it 
comes to this stuff? I'd be very grateful if someone could list the steps 
needed from the point of which forum to download (source or install), what is 
the purpose of both, where and how to upload it via FTP, where to install it 
within DNN and so forth. Seems like this basic step by step is badly needed 
for morons like me.

I have installed the forums on DNN 4.0 and the process is exactly the same as for 3.2 - the only difference is which version of ASP.NET is powering DNN.

If you have logged in using the host account then you should have both an Admin and a Host menu. If you don't then you have a problem that has nothing to do with the Forums module and should get that sorted out before attempting to do anything else.

Once you have a Host menu, the instructions given in this thread and the documentation cover everything you need to do. Look in the Host menu for the Module Definitions page, and from there select Upload New Module, browse to where you have saved the install.zip on your local system, then click Add and Upload File.

You do not manually upload or unzip the module on your web site. Download it to your local system and then use DNN's built-in module upload process.