Sorry if this has come up before...

I just came past this nice write-up, which however left me confused.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-country_skiing

I seem to have been using the wrong names for techniques. I thought I was
V2-ing all the time, trying to work on my V1. V2 I called poling on every
right leg push. Seems I should use V1 there.
Or, and this is where I'm really lost, are "gears 2 and 4", V1 and V2
Alternate pretty much the same? Different V number for the same technique at
difference speeds, at least on paper, double-poling on one leg only?
***
Since I've got this topic open, I'll ask some more if you don't mind, keep
the list clean.

-should I learn to do V2 Alternate, or any technique for that matter, both
ways? Double-poling on my right leg seemed natural to me from the beginning,
but after I had collected courage yesterday, I seemed to pick up poling on
just the left leg decently. Felt weird, but worked. In XC racing, do
situations happen where it's good to be able toV2 alternate on either leg?
Even for fitness' sake?

Thanks a lot for your help! Once I master these silly gotta-knows I hope to
help newbies after me in my turn. ;-)
***
I've effectively been using my bulky (years old) Crosskates for a couple
weeks now, 80% of all my kms the past week, about 50km or so. Loving this
skating/poling this to bits. All on-road, tires at high pressure.
Amazing to remember how helpless and clumsy I felt just weeks ago and how I
can now almost keep up with my rollerblading buddy, until he goes sprinting.
My typical skate cruising speed (I get tired thighs within 1km regardless
intensity) on fast asphalt, no wind, is now around 18-19kph. Is this too
fast to be snow-realistic for an utter newbie, or pretty much right? Maybe
crosskates just aren't so slow after all...
Looking to buy or make myself some Jenex V2 Aero 150 type rollerski's, that
can take wheelsizes 100-150mm or even larger. The 150's seem to be
appreciated by skiers as the closest thing to actually skiing on snow, which
is what I want, good training. I guess if I put on fast solid 125mm wheels I
could maybe join the local rollerski school with them, as well as pester my
rollerblading buddy. If we make our our, he'd get a set of his own, of
course.
Yesterday I almost pulled the trigger on some Rollerblade Aero 90's (4x90mm,
ABEC7) on clearance sale. Not sure what is wise to work on my skating legs.
Any opinions on Nordic Blading vs Rollerskiing if budget is a big factor? I
hope to postpone the purchase of ski boots and bindings somewhat, ?120 for
decent blades is not too bad if it's not totally stupid with poles, for that
change of pace.

Thanks for reading, and perhaps some help,

J
The Netherlands