mandrake 1st (c)lick

[Lloyd D Budd]

So rite after installing SUSE instead of Mandrake, I (re)discovered that
SUSE is not a "sponsor" of Gnome (http://foundation.gnome.org).  Yes, I
know that you can run Gnome very well on it -- but it still matters to
me.  So, I downloaded the 1st CD of Mandrake 9.2 (iso) and installed it.

The install was clean -- not quite as nice of an interface as SUSE, but
with SUSE I had to enter the IP address of a mirror and path to the
source (which I had to locate by searching the internet from another
computer) before I could start the net install.

With Mandrake, I did not see an option to net install, or add internet
"sources".  Has anyone else found it unnecessarily difficult to figure
out how to 'addmedia' during or after the install?

The install was very fast, unfortunately it seems that most of what I
want is not on the 1st CD.  The result is that only IceWM (and probably
a couple other lite WM) is installed, and my web browser is currently
lynx.

Ok, so I want to add the software.  Configuration -> Packaging ->
"Mandrake Update" -> nope, but I should update the packages that are
installed.  Do I really have to manually select each one?

After a few more clicks through the options under Configuration ->
Packaging , I find "Software Media Manager".  

How do I list the "s/w media" from the command line?

I tried using this GUI.  Regardless of the hosts, the add kept  failing
saying there is no hdlist file.  I first checked that the host was
accessible.  Here is an example entry that I have tried to add:
URL:
ftp://public.ftp.planetmirror.com/pub/mandrake/9.2/i586/Mandrake/RPMS

Is there no automatic "mirrorselect"?  

Ok, back to the web to find some sources
easyUrpmi is useful <http://plf.zarb.org/~nanardon/index.php>

I know see reference to this tool in the TLUG archive. and to at least
one good 'addmedia'.

Is there a version 9.2 of the documentation?
<http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/fdoc.php3>

Any one have any Mandrake specific notes / links to pass along?

In terms of the club membership, is the cost for Canadians adjusted to
CAN standard of living ?  
-- Mandrake seems to want me to fill out the forms before it is clear
what currency I will be charged in.

Thank you,
Lloyd


Other notes:

SUSE's boot up also seems "cleaner".  For one, there is the option to
have only a progress bar.

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