[English Message] how to type the ligature and learn the french keyboard

[Aryan Ameri <a.ameri@linuxiran.org>]

Salut:

Sorry for writing in English, I don't know enough French yet to write in 
it! 

Well, as you might have guessed, I am trying to learn French, and it 
doesn't help that I haven't been able to learn how to type properly in 
French. I have been able to figure out how to write accent acute and 
accent grave and circumflex, and the double dot sign like ï and ë (what 
is it called in French by the way?) but I don't know how to type the 
ligature (like for the word soeur ? How shall I join the O and E 
together?) And I also have not been able to find the {} and [] keys in 
the french keyboard, are they available?

BTW, I am using the default French keyboard, I also see two more french 
keyboards in my keyboard layout list, one called French Alternative, 
and the other one is French Canadian. I can guess what the French 
Canadian is, but what is the French Alternative? Which one should I 
use?

Also, are there any online free tutorials available that teach typing 
properly in french? I remember years ago when I was learning how to 
type English, I found a bunch of tutorials that enabled me to learn 
typing English properly. I googled a bit, but didn't find anything 
useful. 

Thanks for the help, and also please CC me in your replies, cause 
obviously I am not a member of the french list (yet)!

Cheers

-- 
/* It is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is 
a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist 
dictatorship. People can always be brought to the bidding of the 
leaders.
-- Herman Göring, Nürnberg Trials */

Aryan Ameri