Synaptic repositories / PPA problem? (3)

[R K Belew]

hi,

(this is on Intrepid/8.10 Ubuntu)

i'm trying to install the 3.1 OpenOffice, and started by going thru
the steps suggested at
http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-to-Install-OpenOffice-org-3-1-on-Ubuntu-9-04-111105.shtml

but it didn't work and so i've been tracking thru various command line,
apt-based steps.  i am stumped by two things:

#1 while i think i've successfull received the PPA key, gpg won't let me
export it:

> rik at monk:~$ sudo apt-key adv --keyserver pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys 247D1CFF
> Executing: gpg --ignore-time-conflict --no-options --no-default-keyring --secret-keyring /etc/apt/secring.gpg --trustdb-name /etc/apt/trustdb.gpg --keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg --keyserver pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys 247D1CFF
> gpg: requesting key 247D1CFF from hkp server pgp.mit.edu
> gpg: key 247D1CFF: "Launchpad PPA for OpenOffice.org Scribblers" 3 new signatures
> gpg: no ultimately trusted keys found
> gpg: Total number processed: 1
> gpg:         new signatures: 3
> rik at monk:~$ gpg --export --armor 247d1cff 
> gpg: WARNING: nothing exported

still, Synaptic sees this entry in list of authentications.

#2 (but perhaps because of this?), while Synaptic lets me add the
repository line:

> deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main

after refreshing it is still not added to my list of "Origin" sources.
(while i'm telling this in the reverse order, i did  intially
add the repository BEFORE dealing with the authentication.

Related questions:

* when i Reload Synaptic, i think i see a a "Fail" message (in the Show
Details pane), but it flashes by too quickly to know just what it's
about.  i've looked in Synaptic's history, and als found
/var/logs/apt/term.log, but neither show anything.  where are these
error messages logged?

* what is the difference between files listed in
	/etc/apt/sources.list and
	/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ppa.list
     must all PPA-secure sources be in ppa.list?

thanks for any suggestions.

	rik