I always install with the system installer.  I've never had the problems
that you describe.  I've run most, almost all, releases and patch-releases
since 1.3.

If the tarfiles have the correct permissions in them, did you use the
``--same-permissions'' option (or one of its aliases)?


Re. X: No, you probably don't want tp set SUID.  Did you build a new
kernel with INSECURE turned off?  If so, you may either need to turn
INSECURE back on, or get the aperture driver.  (I'm told that some video
cards actually require both INSECURE *and* aperture.)

How do you start X?  (I always use ``startx'', though I've toyed with
using xdm, briefly.  Both work correctly for me, out of the box.)


Re. KDE: I get the same problem with the tasklist feature.  But the
screen-saver looks like it's working.  (I was able to
browse/select/configure/test the screensavers; I didn't actually leave the
machine idle long enough for the saver to come up.)  I don't know what you
can do about either problem you see, much less why the latter is a problem
for you but not for me.  But, at least I can confirm one of them.  (^&

(I don't use KDE, normally.)


  ``I probably don't know what I'm talking about.'' --rauch@math.rice.edu