Resource request for newbie

I've just started using Linux (SuSE 8.0 to be exact) and I don't have much prior programming experience -- I just decided that I wanted to learn Linux so I'm jumping in. I need some help with a lot of simple things, though -- getting stuff like my cd drive to work and internet connection sharing and getting an external hard drive to work -- just all the little things to make it fully functional so that I can completely leave Windows behind. So what I'm asking of the people in this community is if you can recommend any good websites or books that can help me (someone who is relatively new to Linux but better than your average Joe with computers) solve all these little problems so that I can start doing the really cool stuff.