First Read

        ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/stable/Beta1/distribution/rpm/binary/

Don't download any of the files here, but be sure to read the info. *Very* important not to skip this step.

>From ftp.linuxppc.org (any realiable mirrors to add here?, samba.anu.edu.au is not current in files) get these RPMS

        qt-1.3.1-1A

        kdebase-Beta1-2A

        kdelibs

        kdesupport

        kdeutils

        kdegames

(there's more to the actual names, but with these in Beta the names are going to be in flux, the base names shouldn't change)

Now change to root user on the machine

Install the packages *in this order*

        rpm -i qt-1.3.1-1A (you might need rpm -U if you have a previous 

        rpm -i kdesupport*

        rpm -i kdelibs*

        rpm -i kdebase*

        rpm -i kdeutils*

        rpm -i kdegames*

(kdesupport might complain about libgr, there should be an RPM on the CD-ROM or from ftp.linuxppc.org, install this first)

Now, if you are starting in runlevel 3, change you ~/.xinitrc (the xintirc in your home directory) to look like this (as you can see my previous window manager was afterstep and I commented it out, be sure to do the same with other window managers) Fvwm has a whole lot more in this file, but scap it, and copy the below into ~/.xinitrc.

        ~/.xinitrc

        #!/bin/sh

        # AfterStep v1.0 Default xinitrc

        export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin:/opt/kde/bin

        export KDEDIR=/opt/kde

        #exec afterstep

        startkde

If you are using XDM (runlevel 5) then create or change ~/.xsession to look just like .xinitrc.

Ok, type

        $ startx

kde should work

Now, I suggest reading the HTML documentation, but this is one little fix to be made.

As root

        # cd /opt/kde/share/doc/HTML

        # ln -s ./en ./default  (actually if there is documentation in
        your native tounge, then by all means link that directory to ./default.)

Now the documentation for the componets are in

        /opt/kde/share/doc/HTML/default/

While in reality the docs are now a bit sparce, look over the docs for KDM and KFM.

This adds a bit more time to the install, but a lot of Mac users and PC users should feel rather comfortable in the KDE environment. It's got a nice file browser that steps in as a web and ftp client. There's a mail client also, but there is not a binary, but maybe one could be the i386 RPM and make and upload it...that's not quite my bag, yet. There's always Pine...

 Happy Linux-pmacing!

............... Special Update: A KDE Install Faq. with much more detail now exists at:
http://home.fuse.net/bmote/index.htm

hsundt@eugn.uswest.net