need help setting up camera in linux
 

can somebody give me step by step instructions on
how to configure and record from a camera in linux

No but I can probably help you find the answers.
What kind of camera and does it have a memory card that the
pictures are saved on?

it does have a memory card
but i am using it in stream mode

What do you mean by "stream mode"?

Probably the best advice I can give you go here http://gphoto.sourceforge.net/
scroll down to "Introducing gPhoto2" Click on 1100 and see if your camera is spported
then clcik on gphoto2 just above and see what you need. You will need:
libgphoto2, gphoto2, and gtkam.

First check whether your distro already has these. Try running gtkam from the cli.
Also check and see if your distrohas this for installation by you package manager.

in stream mode it acts as a web cam streaming live image data thru the usb
without storing it first

Oh, well then I have no idea. Never needed that function.
WHy don't you just buy a web cam. :)

its setup the same i just dont know how to set it up
and i could not compile VLC and they did not have a binary for my distro

basicly i need a webcam software that works
without KDE or GNOME and to know how to configure it

Have you looked into webcam and webcam-server?

Here is a howto that may help.