Am I to take it then that you DON'T have gnome up and running?
The easiest way to do this is to use Fink to install the Gnome packages, as this will automate the process of compiling them. There is a "placeholder" package for X11 under Fink to let it ignore the X11 dependencies (you just select the placeholder, and it does the rest).
I think you *probably* do need to install the developers tools, as it needs to compile the program for you.
I find Gnome works wonderfully in the rootless mode ... the Gnome menu on mine sits in the bottom left corner of the screen allowing me to start my X11 programs from there.
If this is a little complex for you and you're not fond of all the unix-ish command line interfaces, then I'd suggest installing a program called "Fink Commander" from version tracker. Make sure you turn on text labels on the menu bar, as the controls are a little confusing.
So:
- You have X11 installed. I'd use Apple's X11 as it is much faster - they have stripped out all the code that supports non-Apple systems.
- Install Fink
- Install FinkCommander
- Use FinkCommander to select, download and install the X11 placeholder, and all the Gnome packages.
- open X11.app, and see if you can start gnome from the command line in the xterm window. Once you've worked this out, add that command to the Applications menu, or set it to startup with that command (theres a few posts here detailing how to configure how X11.app starts up).