tar does not like me

Went to a web page (www.rdesktop.org) and downloaded a file
(<http://easynews.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/rdesktop/rdesktop-1.1.0.tar
.gz>) to a Win 2000 system Dir.

The Win 2000 "Save as" did not show the ending ".gz" but claimed it to be a
WinZip file.

Extracting it (WinZip) to a subdirectory shows many files including
"makefile"and a sub directory (crypto).

Coppied the origional .tar (unextracted) to a floppy diskette (DOS type).

On the RH8 (boots to the GUI - seperate issue) system, issued (Ctri Alt f1)
to the command line.

Logged in as root.

Added an entry in fstab for a DOS type floppy.

Mounted a DOS type floppy (/mnt/floppydos/).

ls /mnt/floppydos/ displays rdeskt~1.gz

Created (mkdir) a /tmp/rdesktop/ directory.

Could not figure out the cp command therefore, using the GUI (Ctrl Alt F7)
(Home Folder) navigated to /mnt/floppydos/ and did a right mouse click -
copy. Then navigated to /tmp/rdesktop/ and did a right mouse click - paste.

>From the command window (Ctrl Alt F1), in /tmp/rdesktop/ ls displays
"rdeskt~1.gz".

read the man page on tar

Tried tar -t rdeskt~1.gz
Tried tar -t rdesktop-1.1.0.tar.gz
Tried tar -tg rdeskt~1.gz
Tried tar -tg rdesktop-1.1.0.tar.gz
Tried tar -xg rdeskt~1.gz
Tried tar -xg rdesktop-1.1.0.tar.gz
Tried tar -xg rdeskt~1.gz
Tried tar -xg rdesktop-1.1.0.tar.gz
Tried several more combinations.

Tar either locked up or I needed more patience. Ctrl-c brouthe me back to
the command line.

Questions:
1) Any ideas?
2) How can I see the real name of "rdeskt~1.gz without the "~" getting in
the way?
3) can I tar from the GUI?

Oh, and by the way, You Folks Are GREAT (yelling intended)
George