my friends told me to buy counter strike source, and i said id buy it if the connection thing is free, just buy the cd package and it will connect for free no buying or anything , but now i got it and it doesnt work? so please help me, do i have to get a starter thing? or do i have do this or that? help please!!!

Maybe you need to download Steam and make an account? I know that's what you have to do to play the CSS that comes with Half-Life 2. I forget the website, but you can download it from Valve software.