Okay, I just see some index, a long directory. This is one thing that always puzzled me with linux. I'm not sure what to do.

Ah finally, it allowed me to edit. maybe that's because I can use my mouse, I don't know.
For some odd reason, my screen went back to its original layout. Not the rainbowed colored problem. I can see the screen, but it's shifted off to the left some. I have to realign it back to being centered.
But the odd part is, I went to the YaST, it extracted files, and was going to install when something froze. nothing was installed.
rebooting, I saw something that amazed me. a mouse! I see it! it's right here.
now if only i can figure it out again if I have to reformat this.

For now, I think all is fixed. At least for now. I have a half dozen issues with mandrakelinux. I'll have to save one for later, that's been an issue for months, and never got it to work.

anyway, thanks. this is great. I have a new OS I can use it, looks like it anyway.
Super!

Im glad that it worked for you
Some people aint that lucky.

I'm afraid if I have to reformat it, it won't. We'll see anyway.
That's 1 of 100 problems taken care of

I'm pretty new to Linux, but beginning to understand some of it.
I've been a long term windows user for ages.

As for that update, the index, what do you do anyway? I'm use to a basic click, download and install (like most in windows).
I really want to understand this the best I can, because I'm so sick of windows, and the less I use it, the better.

Right now, I have mandrakelinux 10.1, Suse 10.0, and in a day or two, Mandriva 2006.

Im not really sure what you mean with "the index" here
And unfortunatly I've never used an RPM based distro so i dont think i can help with that one. But i'm sure someone else will because most people on this forum is very helpful and friendly

On the first page on here, near the bottom, there's a link to update suse 10.0
All I see if this long list of what I believe are called RPM's.

Yes they are called RPM's. But it's only for KDE not for the entire SuSe distro
Maybe you should read this for more information as i dont know much about RPM :
http://www.rpm.org/RPM-HOWTO/

KDE is what I use, so that shouldn't be a problem. It's so nice to know what some are saying and understanding it.

When I started, people were saying "type (whatever)" and do this, that, that and this.

Um...what?!?!?!?!

I feel the best way to learn an OS is to stay on the OS, just use it all the time, not just to get one or two things fixed.
That's how I ended up using Mandrakelinux 10.1 a bit, and not touching windows.

After you install Suse 10 you should go into YaST and do an
'online update' so you get the latest safe versions of the
software. You can also configure your video, keyboard and mouse
in YaSt->hardware. If you have a Nvidia video card then you will
also want to install the nvidia drivers so that you get hardware
video acceleration.

Will do! That I found as well pretty easily
Thanks!