WordPress MU

ive installed wpmu about 3days ago and for love money or sexual favours can i get a front page to be displayed on main page of site but not on blogs

i get front page on all . or none
can any one help before i pull all my hair out and go bald?

im running gentoo
with
apache-2.0
mod_php-4.4

ive tried the

RewriteRule ^$ /home.php [L]
RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-z-]+)/index.php(.*) /wp-inst/index.php [L]
RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-z-]+)/(.*) /wp-inst/index.php [L]

from http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic/42#post-221

How to get a front page on a WPMU site:
1. We'll use the fact that WordPress has a home.php template.
2. Copy one of the themes in the wp-inst/wp-content/themes/ folder to a new name, call it "home" if you like.
3. Create a home.php template in the newly created theme directory. Copy single.php to see what a template file looks like.
4. Go into the "Site Admin" backend and note that the theme is disabled by default. Edit the main blog and enable the theme in that blog only.
5. Visit your site and you'll have a brand new homepage! :)

Ohhhhh i love u i love you i love you i love you :D

*cough* sorry

that worked like a dream :) i had been so busy trying to get it to work
i with rewrite (by looking at posts here)
i never thought of custom theme for admin only

"3. Create a home.php template in the newly created theme directory. Copy single.php to see what a template file looks like."

Could someone please explain to me briefly how to create a home.php template and why that is important?

Download the latest release and look at wp-inst/wp-content/themes/home/home.php for an example file.