Module development and code questions

I installed drupal a week ago to get my feet wet. Upon reading about how forums are built on Drupal, I took the time to begin the process. The first module I thought to add was the Smileys Module.

The installation instructions refer to examples.mysql and smilies.mysql however I do not see them within the downloaded folder for this module. Which explains the error I am getting that, the smilies table cannot be found.

I am setting up a Drupal site with about 15 organic groups. The goal is that registered users will have absolutely NO ACCESS to any group except the one to which they belong (this is to prevent users from digging into information that does not apply to them -- and to eliminate confusion by not even showing them the list of group that don't apply).

This might be a strange subject :P

here are what I active with drupal:
drupal + gallery2 + gallery.module + clear url

briefly, I need the embed user function and block
but i want a stand alone gallery2, in other word

right now, in normal way

http://www.example.com/gallery goes to embed page drupal+gallery2
http://www.example.com/gallery2 goes to stand alone gallery2

I just installed drupal 4.7 and i would like to make a new story/page type module so that i can add `unique` urls to each story. The site i want to create would host links to other sites like digg or delicious, hence i would want user to submit a url with each story.

While searching the drupal site, i came across How to create your own simple node type. I wonder if that's the right approach ?

Hi:

I need some advice on which way to go: webform, survey, a new module?

Requirements

1. I have about 30 questions that can be divided in a few groups.
2. Some of the questions depend on some answers.
3. the user might respond to a few questions now, and leave some other questions for later on. The final results page cannot be shown before all the questionaries are fullfilled.
4. AJAX is needed for custom validation and for improving the user interface
5. Questions have to be easily mantained, so they cannot be hard coded with Forms API
6. An easy interface to create some results depending on the answers would be nice, but not a must.

Alternatives
I like the GUI in webform for building questionaries and a few questionaries could be put in a hierarchy with the book module.

about 1) I still need to make sure the user goes through all of the forms before getting to the end (same behaviour as a multipage form)

about 2) and 3): How to add some AJAX to forms built with webform module?

Using FAPI I can create a multipage form but It cannot be mantained by non-programmers.

about 4) how to refer to answers to create the final results page?
If I could assing a hidden number to each question then I could use that number for easily finding the answer to that question.

I have read the documentation and I have some basic understanding of Drupal APIs, but I don't get around on how to face this development.

How do I add a flat $3.00 handling fee to the shipping costs calculated by the ecommerce shipcalc.module? I'm using the usps.inc partner file to calculate shipping costs.

I know enough PHP to be dangerous, so if somebody could point me in the right direction, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance,

-barneson