The NFS install actually installed a Working Linux today. And it seems to understand that static IP means no DHCP.
However the settings for nameserver and gateway were ignored.
The new add software program still can't actually install software. But at least yum still works.
I've noticed that another distro automatically looks for a different driver if the X server can't get going. This would be useful for Fedora, or at least a text mode command to set X to use the appropriate driver.