#1

Think of /home as "My Documents". Put all your data there.

All directories come off of / , which you can think of as similar to c: in windoze (similar, not the same).

The structure is like a tree, with / as a root, and others coming off ass branches:

/bin = where many essential binaries are kept

/sbin = As above, but system binaries

/home = If your username is "kelly", then your home directory is /home/kelly/

/lib = system libraries

/usr = has a few things coming off it, mainly user-installed things i.e. /usr/games /usr/bin /usr/lib etc.

/var = contains system logs and stuff (var=variable)

#2 -

There's a mandrake packaging tool that's pretty good- BJ?

#3 - In anticipation of installing Linux I began buying Linux Format mag and The Linux Magazine.

I spent ages trying to get things off those CD's when I first started. I think I wasted a lot of time doing that. Get used to your system first, and when possible let the mandrake installer get you new packages.

#4 - While reading through the user guide that came with my 'boxed set'

Look for programs that have "terminal" in the name. This will bring an old-school command line up- do them here.

#5 - Have you dozed off yet? lol. There's way too much "space" around my windows.

Not sure. May be just the difference between the drivers. I have to adjust my monitor, but only the few times when I boot into windoze.

OK, guess that's if for today. Hope they aren't silly questions......honestly I am researching but can't get to the answers fast enough, could be just a bit excited and impatient. Maybe.

No, it's cool. I'm trying to write a good newbies guide to linux for my friends who are interested. I found this site helpful:-

www.linuxnewbie.org

Also, there is a Mandrake user website too.

A lot of it is learning *how* to read the documentation. Some of it appears to be written by robots rather than humans.