There's no getting around it -- the world of open-source/free software is pretty Balkanized. So much so, in fact, that many leading lights can't even agree on what to call the sprawling ecosystem of non-proprietary software. This means it can be far from obvious where to go for the best possible information on the topic, whether you're trying to learn some Linux basics or keep up with the latest developments. Here's a brief overview of the most useful open source websites that, we hope, will help take you from "what's a kernel?" to "I have a favorite distro."

CAUTION: Talking about Linux online: There are, in fact, stupid questions