This is my very first post as a new member of this forum!




What resources exist (both online and books) that introduce Linux to the total beginner?

I have just begun to start learning about Linux by reading some online articles. I have a very basic understanding of this OS and would like some advice.

I have determined that Red Hat will be my distribution. Now I wanted to purchase a book that clearly lays out a solid and easy to follow foundation for the absolute beginner- a person who has no knowledge of UNIX or command-driven operating systems. I have done some online research and most reviews seem mixed on most publications sold.

The little I have learned so far has intrigued me and now I desire to start my real learning of the OS.

Thank you for your reply and attention.

_

The Linux Documentation Project is probably the best online resource. From newbies to experts, there are lots of howtos to help you understand.

I've found the "Running Linux" series by O'Reilly Press to be very helpful.
I'd also recommend Linux System Administration by Sybex.

In addition to the above, be sure to checkout

https://www.redhat.com/docs/

for Redhat specific documentation.

I highly recommend White Box Linux for Beginners or Advanced linux users. This distro is a redhat linux enterprise rebuild so it's redhat under the hood.

Good luck!

If you just want an OS to run, try Mandrake 10.

If you want to learn linux, go the Redhat route - get Fedora.

I am anot much further on than you AquaBlue but what little experience I do have would lead me to agree with proudclod's comments I have learned much in 2 days of fedora, anyway books,

I found Linux for dummies quite nice and a bit amusing (it also has nice cards to blue tack to our monitor with the most used commands on) I also found the official fedora companion by Nick Petreley good and a bit more serious (do I dare say less patronising?)

Good luck, and please don't give up, I did three times and went crawling back to XP when I hit a bump, but it is worth sticking at and this is a great forum for help

Introduction to Linux is a good resource. Here's an example:
http://www.faqs.org/docs/linux_intro/sect_03_03.html

and here's the main page:
http://www.faqs.org/docs/linux_intro/index.html

Edit: Also, I agree, you might go with Fedora instead of Red Hat, since Red Hat is no longer relevant, except as an Enterprise edition. And you might get it as a CD set in the back of a book similar to the one I had, Red Hat Linux 8 Bible by Wiley. Maybe there's a Fedora Linux Bible out now.