Attached Link: http://bgdm.katorlegaz.com/lscm_tute/lscm_tute.htm

The answer to 2 and 6 is UV mapping.  That lets you take your 3d coordinates and translate them into a 2d plane so you can paint on it.  The link is a pretty good tutorial on the subject.  The uv mapper has changed a bit since then (I think it's just "Unwrap" now, not LSCM, for instance), but the ideas are the same.

For number 5--do you mean a node?  I think oodmb is the one to ask on that one, he's been doing lots with them, so I'll let him answer :)

If you go to the "Links" link up in the header there are a few very general tutorials on lighting--they've got lighting theory and aren't specific to any application.