can someone point me to a tutorial for making a object looks like glass? thanks.
also water if you know a link 
https://blenderartists.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30265
http://www.yafray.org
Check the userdocs at the Yafray site
for some tutorials.
Also do a Search here
for glass.
i used no tutorials for this. i just messed around with the material settings.
if i find the time, ill post the settings.
for making glass with internal renderer, you can check this tutorial, it helps with basics:
http://feeblemind.homeip.net/dotclear/index.php/2004/12/26/7-didacticiel-la-refraction---tutorial-refraction
Cheers,