Arduino and Zterm

[Xyver]

I have my Arduino running on my Macbook, and Im having problems setting up an Ultrasonic sensor.  I really dont know how to word my question, or what Im looking for is called, but here goes.

It's my understanding that once you get the code and everything written, the Arduino will begin to tell the computer how far an object is away.  So, im trying to make a code that makes an LED light up when something is 1m away.  The arduino is just connected with the USB plug. What i think Im looking for is this http://www.societyofrobots.com/programming_data_logging.shtml[/url] (scroll down to the hyper terminal where it says "Hello world! Read my analog")  I want it to do that, but tell me how far things are away in m (or cm or something).

please help, Im hopelessly lost using a mac...

EDIT::
 I got Zterm, set it all up and now have the Arduino talking to my comp, I got that part down.  But, all it sends is groups of x's and >'s and gibberish.  Heres a short bit of it :  <|x<xxx<|x<xxx<xx<xxx|xxxx<xx<xxx<|xxxx<xxxxx<|x<xxx<|x<xxx
<|x<xxx<|xxxx|xxxx|xxxx<|x<xxx<|x<xxx<xx<xxx|xxxx<xx<xxx|x<xxx<xx<xxx|xxxx<|xxxx
<xxxxx<|x<xxx<xx<xxx<|x<xxx|xxxx|xxxx<|x<xxx<xx<xxx|xxxx|x<xxx<|x<xxx<xx<xxx|xxx
x<|x<xxx|xxxx<|x<xxx<|x<xxx<xx<xxx|x<xxx|x<xxx<xxxxx|x<xxx|xxxx|xxxx<|x<xxx|xxxx
<|xxxx<|x<xxx<|x<xxx<|x<xxx|x<xxx<|x<x  I know its working, it updates it self a few times each second, and the code changes when i move things different distances.  How can I decode it?