newest of the newbies

[Gene Collins]

Hello Rob.  Welcome aboard!  Linux has a built in telnet client, though
since telnet passes passwords and user ids as clear text over the
internet, you might not want to use it for security reasons.  You might
want to use ssh instead.  Lynx and Pine are available for all
distributions of Linux, as well as irc clients and servers.  Linux will
work with your dsl connection just fine, though you'll want to do some
reading about setting it up.

Since you are familiar with shell accounts, that means you'll have a
little less to learn.  What you will need to become familiar with is how
to install whichever Linux distribution you choose, and how to compile
and install packages and kernels.  You'll also need to learn about
administering your Linux system, as well as security considerations.  

I would suggest you start by exploring htttp://www.linuxdoc.org.  They
have loads of documentation, howtos, manuals, etc.  You'll also want to
read a bit about the various popular Linux distributions, before making
a choice.  There are a number of us here who use Debian, as well as
slackware and redhat.  I won't start a distribution war by recommending
one over the other (grin).

You will also want to explore the Speakup web site,
http://linux-speakup.org/ for info about getting Speakup up and running.

 In short, have patience, and spend some time reading before you leap. 
The rewards are great, but the learning curve can be a bit steep.  Just
take it one mind sized byte at a time and you'll get there.  Of course,
folks here are willing to answer questions when you get into trouble.

Gene