learning to use linux

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To expand my knowledge a bit i want to try and learn a bit about how to use linux, but my previous attempts have put me off it a bit so hopefully i will have better luck this time. Previously (about 4 or 5 years ago) i downloaded red hat linux, burned it to a few cds, tried to install and failed due to a missing file. Then, last year i tried ubuntu, with more success i managed to install it, BUT, i couldnt get any graphics drivers to work, so couldnt increase the screen res beyond something stupidly low like 640x480, or maybe 800x600 i cant remember which.

Now ive got a new pc which is running vista home premium 64bit, and ive downloaded VMWare server so that i dont have to mess around with making a linux partition on my hdd, and this will allow me to also easily switch to vista when i need help.

What i want to know is, is ubuntu a good linux distribution to learn how to do stuff with, because i understand that its one of the easier to use distributions, but does that mean its slightly 'dumbed down' and so i may miss out on learning certain things? Also, what sort of activitys should i perform to learn some basic linux skills? So far i plan on installing linux, installing drivers (if needed, im not sure if i need to mess with drivers when using a virtual machine, when my vista OS has all the drivers itself), maybe install an IRC client. Beyond that im not sure what sort of things to try, so i would like some ideas.

 

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thanks for the help, ive just finished downloading ubuntu (hopefully i got the right one, i selected to download the 64bit amd/intel version, but the file it sent me to has amd64 in the filename but no mention of intel). Ill get started on installing it on a virtual machine tommorow, im going to listen to some of them podcasts tonight

 

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It seems that i have hit a slight hitch. I tried installing VMware-server, and during install i got a box pop up asking if i want to let it install unsigned drivers, i let it install the drivers, then a little while later in the install i get a couple more boxes popup saying that this version of windows requires all drivers to be signed drivers, and that it wouldnt let these new drivers be used, and that i should uninstall the program.

So. how do i fix this problem? im guessing the drivers must be fine and that vista is just being a bit over protective, so should i uninstall, then some how reinstall in a way that would bypass the signed drive check?