The primary source for help is the Internet. Search engines are your friend! There are tons of web pages and newsgroup postings out there about every conceivable problem you’ll run up against. Some of the best sources are listed below. Another great source of help is your local Linux User Group (or LUG). Check with the central listing, or ask around for one in your area. They will likely have an Installfest scheduled, where you can carry in your new Linux box for free, friendly help.
Websites such as Linux Alternative are handy for finding free-software alternatives to whatever closed-source software you have in mind. Once you know the name of the software you want to try, it’s usually easy to find it in your distribution’s package manager. It’s all free, so there’s no reason not to give it a quick try and see if you like it.
Even if you have computers that you can’t run Linux on, Linux Alternative can help you find free and open source software that can run on Windows.