@MrDetermination:
I'd suggest bookmarking the
handbook and buying (or picking up from your local library) a
good book.
For a project like this, you need a strong foundation. To get that strong foundation, you need to learn the fundamentals first (and worry about specific implementations later).
Forums are generally most appropriate for specific technical questions. Eric Raymond has a
popular essay on the topic of asking questions - it's definitely worth a read.