I tried to get apache going but since it was one of my first linux projects I had a couple failed attempts. I also found several different tutorials on installing it and tried each one. I figured each toutorial might give me new bits of information but installing it in one manner. It turnes out each toutorial was completely different so it is hard for me to know where I went wrong.
One toutorial was nice enough to tell me that if Apache doesn't start to enter # ls /var/log/httpd to see why. Unfortunately I am just begining to learn the language and the results mean next to nothing to me.

access_log----error_log.1----ssl_error_log----ssl_request_log
error_log----ssl_access_log----ssl_error_log.1


I also wanted sugestions on recomended online reading material.
I have the RH9 bible which is very helpfull and I have spent a lot of time searcing online but could use more beginner info.
Most sites I try to get info from use terms I don't understand or will tell me to do something in the terminal leaving out info that I should know already.
It would also be nice if there is somewhere I could find a compact list of most common commands that would be easy to navigate untill I pick it up.
It's a Pita flipping through a 1000 page book trying to find the one spot that told you how to execute a command.

Ok well I feel like a bit of a dumbass. With all the searching I have done I hadn't done one for linux comands. It looks like theirs quite a bit out there. However I am still open to any and all sugestions for good reading/study material.

RUTE, The Linux Cookbook and linuxcommand are good resources for learning about Linux.

for apache, have a look at the official documentation: http://httpd.apache.org/docs/
And some specific info on commands for apache2: link
(it's written for suse, but the commands don't vary too much, the directories may vary)
Oh yeah, and linuxbookmarks: http://bookmarks.linuxquestions.org/...es/tags/apache

Doing
ls /var/log/httpd
only shows you a list of all logfiles stored by apache. You'll need to open the files to see what's inside.
So, pick your favourite text editor (vi, gedit, nedit, kedit, etc), go to /var/log/httpd, and take a look for instance at the error_log file's contents.

Sweet
Thanks a lot for the help.