hello. i'm new. what can i say?

here's my questions.

first...very frequently, I type into my command-line using putty into a linux server some very basic commands. like "get" or "put" or something like this. I'll get in response something like :

-bash : command not found. kind of thing. I've solved this once before by putting a ./ infront of a command. but is now that isn't working. please give me a little background on what is going on and how to solve it. from the little i picked up, I have point to a file location to show where the command is in the file directory that i am trying to use? but why would things like get and put be not found in bash? these aren't bash commands , are they? and what if ./ doesn't solve the problem? i'm just lost as to how to generally solve or work around the problem one gets when they encounter command not found messages.

second: looking for the correct command/syntax for uploading and downloading html files to and from my windows desktop and the linux server using putty SSH. If that's too specific, then maybe just using Putty. But it is only SSH, not ftp, from what i've been told. But anyway, I need an example spelled out, if you don't mind. thanks, bowie101

hello,
if i understand, you want to make an ftp server on your linux box, AND you want to access it (in other way, may be).
the get and put commands are for ftp, you nust to connect in ftp on your linux, and you obtain a ftp' shell. Only at this moment you can type get or put commands to manipulate file on your server.
whatever you machine is, you need a ftp client to acces your linux box. On your linux you need a ftp server and you must to configure it to grant acces from other.

ok, well, since the box isn't only mine, I am stuck with SSH. So given that, what are the appropriate commands?

anybody? anybody? thanks, c

re hello,
in fact, what you want, it's doing files transferts.
But putty is a console emulator to acces the box, and the ssh is a protocol to encrypt the communication.
In your windows box, install a client ftp, like cuteFTP, getRigth, and so on, enter the ip of your linux box, the correct user and the correct password. In anonymous way, the user is anonymous or guest, and the password is your email adress. Nothing else.
I repeat you : PUTTY is an emulator for accessing an unix-box in a console mode.

yup. just figured that much out. now to find out who changed the root password...