Hmm... Well... I wanted to try linux anyway, but due to my own stupidity (read the instructions FIRST) Windows got deleted and so now I'm using Linux full time with NO experience.
I have three major questions.

1. How do I install packages? Every web resource I have read says I should use gnorpm but I can't access it from the menu or the console (yes, I know I have to be root).

2. My soundcard works, but I can't play .mp3's with the built in player... Why?

3. Why is my system so sloooow. I have a mediocre system P-III 733, 64mb Geforce 2 MX and 192 megs of ram, but the pre-installed games look like slideshows...

Anyway... I'd be much appreciative of any help anyone could give me. I'm sorry if I put too many questions in one post.

Taken the unvoluntary plunge I'd say, well good luck.

1. rpm -i (-test) <packagename>, ("man rpm" for more)
2. you'll have to download the xmms modules for playing mp3, there was an URI on newsforge IIRC.
3. Disable any background services you don't need (tru commandline, linuxconf or ntsysv), choose a more "lean 'n mean" desktop like IceWM or Blackbox, drop the Gnome/KDE apps that make the box light up like an x-mas tree but burn a hole in your RAM.

Welcome to LQ, Dr. Strangelove.

3. Your current (default) setup will be using the built-in GF2 drivers, which are rubbish. For anything decent, you'll need to go to the NVidia site and download their latest incarnation. If you search around on these forums, you'll notice that I particularly advocate downloading those files that end in .tar.gz - they're often a lot easyier to install than the 'packaged' RPM files.

Good luck.

The reason you can't play mp3s in Redhat 8 is because they dropped support for them because of license issues. Just wanted you to know that it's intentional, not a bug, or configuration issue.

I'm a newbie myself, but i can help you with question number two.
Heres an URL where you can download the necessary rpm:s.

http://www.gurulabs.com/downloads.html

1.You can right click the rpm file and "install packages" or open up console and use rpm (type "man rpm" for details).
2. See xmms.org for the rpm for mp3 input plugin and install (see 1).
3.You nee to install NVIDIA drivers for linux. Download both the drivers (GLX and kernel) AND THE MANUAL.