lesson with partitioning intel-based mac for linux installation

in order to run bootcamp, do not partition the disk into mac os and linux.
i'm spending a good half an hour to unpartition. have 100gb disk, partitioned into 50/50.
if i run bootcamp, running on mac's****** partition, there's like nothing left on mac os partition and linux partition will stay a void.

waste of time? or lesson fee for trying to get linux on mac mini?

still a long way to go. i'm getting a little impatient now.