[PLUG] duel boot on macbook

[jayant ogale]

hi,
i am trying to install mandriva 2008 on my macbook laptop. it installs successfully, but at the last stage it says reboot. and when i press enter it hangs.
i tried xandros 4 also but with this distro in the initial stage only it says 1] iso image not found 2] cd not found and hangs.
when i googled, it confused me more.
my question is 
1] is it possible to have duel boot  macbook [mac + linux]?
if yes, is it a simple procedure?
i would like to request anyone who has done it, to show a full demo in our next months meeting.
i will bring my mac and a distro required.
someone told me that you have to duel boot it with windows first and then in windows you can make linux duel boot. is it true?
thanks,
jayant