Linux Server Network Settings - Share Directory Structure

Hello Unix Gurus Who I Hope Reads This,

I have quasi-inherited control over a Linux cluster at a university research lab. The post-doc that set it up is gone, and the person in charge of administering the cluster doesn't know a ton about Linux. Amongst other things, I want to use the cluster as a subversion repository (my first attempt at setting up version control). I can access the cluster from my apple laptop while in the lab via ssh. I have full root access.

My question is this...

What commands can I enter at the command line while ssh'd into the cluster, which will allow my MacBook Pro running OS 10.5.8 to see said cluster's directory tree in Finder?

I am hoping the answer will be something along the lines of...

  1. Get a terminal open on your laptop desktop
  2. type in
ssh -X <username>@<IPAddress>

, then enter password
3. If you now don't have admin and/or root privileges, switch to such a user
4. enter command 'something' with flag '-such and such' (see man something for more on it and flag such and such)
5. enter command 'nextcommand' with flag '-mildlycrypticflag' (see man ...)
6. ...
.
.
.
14. Hey, now you can see the entire cluster directory tree in your Finder window!

Perhaps some of those commands will be modifying some configuration file or some such thing?

When I type

konqueror &

at the command line after ssh'ing into the cluster I see a screen that says "ROCKS"

When I type

uname -a

into the command line after ssh'ing into the cluster the following is returned

Linux cluster.mrilab.net 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp #1 SMP Tue Jun 26 14:14:47 EDT 2007 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

This is my first post to a forum, ever, as far as I can remember. I thank you very much in advance for your help!

michael