1. My display is not centered on my monitor (Samsung SyncMaster 170N). I need to nudge it about 1/8" to the left.

From the online research I've done, I have a suspicion that I need to edit my xorg.conf file, monitor section, HSkew -- but I don't know for sure. I also haven't figured out how to edit the file - I don't know how to give myself permission to do it.

2. My display is generally sluggish (compared to Windows XP on the same computer). It acts like Windows XP did (same hardware) before I installed the display driver.

BTW, this is my first post in LinuxQuestions.org. I have spent several hours (like 4 or 5) trying to figure this out myself. I'm new to Linux. I have dozens of questions that I could ask (and probably will, eventually), but I'm trying to solve problems in a logical order -- get the hardware working first, then get software working.

My system:
AMD Sempron 3400+; 2GB RAM
Debian Etch (stable)
X.Org X server -- ATI display driver (1:6.6.3-2) is installed (according to Synaptic, but is either not configured correctly or it's the wrong driver)

===
xrandr -q
SZ: Pixels Physical Refresh
*0 1280 x 1024 ( 339mm x 271mm ) *75 60
1 1024 x 768 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75 70 60
2 832 x 624 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75
3 800 x 600 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75 72 60 56
4 640 x 480 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75 73 60
5 1280 x 960 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 60
6 1280 x 800 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 60
7 1152 x 864 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75
8 1280 x 768 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 60
9 416 x 312 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75
10 400 x 300 ( 339mm x 271mm ) 75 72 60
Current rotation - normal
Current reflection - none
Rotations possible - normal
Reflections possible - none
===
# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# path to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "i2c"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies Inc RV370 [Sapphire X550 Silent]"
Driver "ati"
BusID "PCI:5:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "SyncMaster"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "ATI Technologies Inc RV370 [Sapphire X550 Silent]"
Monitor "SyncMaster"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

In case anyone is interested, I never figured this out, but as it turns out, I don't need to any more.

The monitor went dead a few months later; I don't think it was related to my original problem. When I bought a new monitor, the display was centered correctly. It was something about that monitor. Even though I don't have this problem any more, I'm sure somebody somewhere does. He/she is probably frustrated that there isn't any easy way (GUI or CLI) to nudge the display a few pixels in any direction. Maybe there is any easy way, but I couldn't find it after several hours of Googling and asking on LinuxQuestions.org.

I'm well on my way to switching from Windows to Linux. I learn something new just about every day. But, Linux (even Ubuntu 8.10) still frustrates me every day.