linux ldap clients to authenticate to OD

hello anyone out there... i need advice and major help from you since i'm a new mac os x sys admin i've got an xserve with mac os x 10.4.9... OD is up and running, all is fine, ie dns, afp, kerberos and what not.... i've configured OD as such: - ssl is not enables - directory binding is activated and i require clients to bind to the directory my os x clients authenticated without any problems to the OD... and i've got both network home folders and mobile ones... all obviously using afp... should i change that? now i would also like to add some linux workstations to my network and i would like to get them authenticated to the OD and have network home folders... so here are my questions 1. what distro should i be using? 2. how to i get the linux client authenticated to OD, considering that i've got to bind to it first and use kerberos? 3. what should i use to store their home folders, smb or nfs? and why? 4. if i'm using smb to store the home folders, must i activate the PDC too or in standalone mode? 5. finally, if a user that usually access its home folder from a os x client, needs to do so also from a linux client, is that possible? thank you so much for any help