newest of the newbies

[Rob]

Hello List,

     I'll try and keep this short and I suppose one person answering
will do, don't expect a big ol' thread on my question.
    Well it all started a couple Saturdays ago in my In box when I got
a newsletter talking about, in part, investigating Linux and it gave a
url.  I followed it and was very intrigued since I miss my old Unix
Shell account that I started on the computer with a few years ago.
     After doing some digging I found out about Speakup and the
synthesizers it supports etc.  I will be buying a Doubletalk if I
indeed pursue Linux as an alternate operating system.
     I guess my immediate questions are, I have a dsl connection, how
hard will it be to configure so that I may use it.  Also, does Linux
have a built in Telnet client and IRC client like my old Unix shell
used to?  How hard is it to find programs like Lynx and Pine?
     I know this is an established list with people already well into
the use of Linux and I hate to bog it down with a bunch of newbie
questions, but I looked all over and could not find a "Linux for blind
newbies" list or I would have gone there lol.
     If anyone wants to email me directly you can mail to
robd1953 at mindspring.com
     I just basically want to see how people feel about using this
exciting alternative to the dreaded Windows. *grin*

          Rob