Are there problems with How-to links and DebianHELP?

["Lloyd R. Prentice" <lprentice@earthlink.net>]

Hi,

I'm a very enthusiastic Debian (and Linux) newcomer -- but growing more
frustrated by the minute.

For several weeks I've tried to access the How-to's listed on your
Documenation page (home pagn->documentation->How-to's (all links in this
list). All I get are time-outs. I've also tried accessing DebianHELP --
no response. Other links on the page seem to work.

I tried for a short while subscribing to a Debian user mailing list, but
the volume of posts totally overwhelmed me.

I'd certainly like to learn how to become a supportive and knowledgable
member of the Debian community -- but the Debian Woody install discs
don't recognize my video card (SIS 630), one reference I've found
suggests that I download a more recent version of XFree86, but I don't
have the foggiest idea how to do that in command mode, and the support
links listed on the Debian.org site seem to be broken.

I probably have 20 expensive books on linux, including the Debian
GNU/Linux Bible. But they seem to present contraditory information on
the same topics (e.g. partitioning), or information that doesn't work:
e.g. ftp ftp.us.Debian.org from the command line, or information that is
so general that it is of vrry little help. 

I'm patient, willing to dig, hate to whine or to pose a burden, but I'm
completely stuck.

Best wishes,

Lloyd R. Prentice