best way to re-design Wordpress template

I've just installed wordpress 1.2 and I'd like to re-design the template, but I'm wary of working directly on the install. I figure I can install Php and Mysql on my desktop, but someone online mentioned the best method is setting up a test blog on Dreamhost. Do I need to set up a completely new domain, different than my real blog, or can I use a subdomain to set up a test blog?

After that, is it as simple as using the same MySql database with these instructions:

// Change the prefix if you want to have multiple blogs in a single database.

$table_prefix = 'wp_'; // example: 'wp_' or 'b2' or 'mylogin_'

Change 'wp_' to be anything else (because your first WordPress is already using 'wp_'). Maybe choose 'wp2_' for example!

Is this the best way to design your pages, considering that you need a server to see the pages as you work on them?

Hey, did I just talk to you? ^_- http://wordpress.org/support/topic.php?id=22017

If I didn't, follow that link anyways. It'll answer your question. Also, you will need to create a separate MySQL database to install your second copy of WordPress, but DreamHost gives us unlimited MySQL databases, so that's no problem.

Apart from installing plug-ins, most people don't mess with their WordPress files. To change the visual appearance, you only need to play with the CSS files.

Actually, you play with both the CSS and index.php files. Other files can be played with as needed. Here's a list of templates: http://wordpress.org/support/topic.php?id=20279 and instructions on how to create themes and/or apply themes for the upcoming v1.5 release: http://codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layout

thanks.

And yes, macmanx, that was me before... or at least my wife. We work as a team, uh, at least until one of us has to throw out the garbage.

I think I got it figured out now. I guess the one thing I'm still a little confused about was whether I just create another folder within my domain, let's say mydomain.com, and install another wordpress for my test site or create myseconddomain.com as a sub-domain and install it in there.

much appreciated all

just in case someone else comes to this thread with the same questions, I found a link that was helpful to me...

http://wordpress.org/support/topic.php?id=12173