hi broadlighter
…double-clicked on Master Right and placed a text frame as big as the margins and closed the Edit Master Pages box, as instructed. I repeated the same steps for the Master Left pages…
master page objects aren't editable on the document pages.
but if you just need a margin sized text frame on every page, you should check the option for
'automatic text frames' while creating the document. (the automatic frames will be linked – unlink them where you need them separated…)
…master pages are simply page backgrounds.
…including guides…
…as of 1.4.6 (I can't say what will be happening with later versions)
1.5.x brings multi layered master pages, where the mp layers are interlaced with corresponding document layers – for me an interesting feature…
but the master pages are still 'static' layers.
If you want to have repeatable layouts then the Scrapbook is probably your best bet at the moment.
i recommend a mixed use of master pages, scrapbook items, patterns (and personal document templates, wich could include all those items…)
utnik