New to Linux

[yellowdog-newbie@lists.terrasoftsolutions.com]

I've been looking at trying out Linux for about a month now. I found out about YDL through a local Unix group, so YDL has been the focal point to my entry to Linux. I've got an Apple iBook at 500 MHz.

I installed YDL a few days ago, after giving my hard drive 2 partitions. I told YDL that OS X was not installed, because I decided to install it after YDL (I was too anxious to try YDL out, so I jumped the gun). When I installed OS X, all sorts of problems started. Booting back and forth between Mac OSes and Linux was a hassle, partly because OS X wasn't an option in yaboot, and partly, I think, because OS X and 9 were on the same partition.

So, I have a few questions:

1. Do OS X and OS 9 need to be on separate partitions when Linux is installed? I'm pretty sure I already know the answer ;)

2. Do OS X and OS 9 need to be on separate partitions when Linux ISN'T installed? I've always had them on the same partition, and have never run into any problems.

3. Does YDL need to be installed after both Mac versions? I understand how installing OS 9 or X might cause yaboot to 'disappear', but this is easy to fix (by zapping the PRAM).

4. If a Mac OS isn't installed at the time Linux gets installed, is it a bad idea to tell YDL that it actually is there, so the option to boot into it exists after the Mac OS gets installed? Or, is it better to say that the OS doesn't exist, then install the Mac OS, then tell YDL that the OS exists now? If this is the case, how do you go back and tell yaboot that the OS now exists, and to add it as an option at boot-up?

(This last question might be irrelevant, depending on what the answer to question #3 is.)

5. On a different note, where can I find other GUIs besides Gnome and KDE? I'd like to maybe find something faster, since both of these were quite slow during the brief time I had YDL running on my iBook.

6. While running both Gnome and KDE, I noticed white noise on my screen. It almost looked like I was getting bad reception (as you would on a TV with 'rabbit-ears'). Has anyone experienced this? Is there any way to prevent or avoid it? Does it have to do with my monitor settings at installation?

7. How do I change the monitor settings in KDE or Gnome, incidentally. I couldn't find a control panel or setting to change it...

I'll be getting OS X.2 tonight. After I get it up and running, I'll be trying out YDL again (in a few days, probably). In case you're wondering, I already have OS 9.2.2 fully installed and set, in it's own 750 MB partition ;)

Thanks in advance for any input.