smart returns "unknown error" on fresh install in Fedora 7

[Claude Jones]

subject line says it all - it's just a fresh install which pulls the 
fedora-package-config-smart package as well

Fedora 7 was installed two days ago, and is running fine otherwise except for 
some issues with an overheating computer (fixed), and with the proprietary 
nVidia driver (also now working) - I use KDE as my desktop. One other thing I 
noticed was an error message about mysql and the word 'database', I believe, 
which appeared at the bottom of my Kmail window when I started Kmail up, 
which disappeared after a moment, so I couldn't record the exact text - Kmail 
seems to be running normally, though I haven't spent much time in it

this is on a i386 machine running a P4 2.8 GHz and 1 GB ram

the error appears within a mini-postage-stamp-sized window and Smart won't 
start - ideas anyone?
-- 
Claude Jones
Brunswick, MD, USA