hi!
i am a very new Linux user and, after trying out a few deferent distributions, have finally settled on openSuSE. however, i have no audio... and that's a problem.
so... i go to ASUS (my motherboard is an ASUS A8n-sli) and download the linux audio drivers. the problem is though... i have no idea what to do with what i've downloaded.
so here i am, looking for help.

the files that i downloaded are:

ALC850_Linux.zip -- which contains:

alc-082604.tar.bz
core.h
modules.conf
readme.txt
turbolinux.txt

Right! so...
the readme says:

The source code copy from URL DELETED ver:A2.7
Linux Source Code for ALC audio codec

Installation:
This Source Code is from <<URL DELETED>>.
For driver installation, please follow below steps.

Step 1. unzip source code
tar xfvj alcsound.tar.bz2

Step 2. Turn on sound support (soundcore module, default turn on)

Step 3. Complied source code
a. ./configure
b. make
c. make install
d. ./snddevices

Step 4. Edit your /etc/modules.conf or conf.modules depending on the distribution
(Please refer to the attached modules.conf)

Step 5. reboot your machine

Note: 1. The most detail information, can refer the alsa-kernel/Documenttation/ALSA-Configuration.txt
in the alcsound.tar.bz2.
2. Kernel Version must be 2.2.14 or later.
3. All mixer channels are muted by default. You must use a native
or OSS mixer program to unmute appropriate channels.
4. If can not compile the source code, try to rename the /usr/src/linux-2.x -> /usr/src/linux.
5. The driver added to support the SPDIF functoin.
6. Suggest use alsamixer to control mixer function. you can find it in the alsa-utils-0.9.4 URL DELETED.


so...
now i'm lost.
i would really like to have some audio in my new learning enviornment

any help will be welcome... or a point in the right direction. thank you

What do you not understand?

after trying many different things...
i found myself checking my bios settings and, sure enough, i had disabled the on-board audio when i started using a fire wire box (in windows). so i enabled them and booted up openSUSE and i had sound.

thanks for asking though

Coolness, good to hear you got it working .