First, I need to get it into a GUI environment and it would not load GUI because, I am guessing, I have a very high end graphics card (the GE-force 8800) because i want to run code on the graphics card and the 8800 will let me run CUDA).

Also, I want to be able to run a Browser to access the internet. I can not get this running in Red Hat since I do not know how to configure my system to access the internet.

I need a very easy to understand system configuration guide to help me get my system on the Internet, allow me to run GUI systems configuration, etc etc. Like you get when you load Windows. But, all I can get is the character mode Linux which is very cryptic and I dont know how to get any further with it even with all these books and references which mean nothing to me.

So, can I somehow get a document to make this more understandable to do?

I must not be the only person who is more Windows oriented wanting to get LINUX running with similar capabilities as one would get in Windows; i.e. access the internet, etc etc

Red Hat is no more intuitive than UNIX.

can you point me in the right direction so I can now make some use of this RED HAT system without trying to stumble across it somehow please?

i would be very appreciative

Because you are a newbie I would recommend you to start with Debian. The best thing about it is that it comes bundled with 3 DVDs. So even if you don't have Internet connection you can install all types of softwares without any major dependency issue.

Coming back to Internet what kind of Internet connection do you have? I mean Dial up, ADSL etc..

I have broadband with router, not dial-up. My Windows PC's get address when boot dynamically DHCP. Very easy to setup in Windows.

I need to be running Red Hat for variety of reasons. I assume Debian is another Linux. I am on 5.1 Linux Server and using a Quad core processor. The Linux seems to run very well. I am a Unix person with LAN experience from long ago but never had to put a LAN on the internet. So, I am not totally without some background in Linux.

I appreciate your response and look forward to further guidance.

thanks

Sorry fella, had a busy week hence couldn't manage time...anyways coming to the issue. I assume both your windows and linux box are directly connected to the router. Windows is set to request for the ip address which your router provides because it is also acting as a dhcp server. And if you are being able to access internet on Windows then I believe it should not be that difficult on Linux as well. Just make your redhat box ask for an IP from a dhcp server. You can use: #netconfig or #system-config-network. Let me know how it goes.