Hi guys

Its been a very long time since I've posted but I assure you that I've been watching the community from time to time, from the shadows. (My interest to learn to become a hacker(white hat has just increased)
Anyway,
As I'm a beginner struggling to break into the IT field, I request all members of the community to share their resources with everybody.
Please post all the resources that you have found to be useful or those which have helped you in your journey as a pen-tester or as a general skilled computer user.
Here are the following topics which I would like you guys to post your resources:
1) Operating Systems (Client and server)
a) Windows
b) Linux
c) Backtrack
2) Programming
a) web designing and web related
b) scripting&programming
c) bash& assembly
3) Networking
4) Hardware
5) Databases
6) System administration
Please keep in mind the following:
NOTE:
1) MENTION THE HEADING(from the above) BEFORE YOU POST YOUR RESOURCES AND ALSO MENTION IN BRACKETS WHETHER IT IS BASIC OR ADVANCED.
2) RESOURCES MENTIONED MAY INCLUDE LINKS TO WEBSITES, E-BOOKS, BOOKS etc.
Once again, this is a plea to the entire community to share their experience.
I speak for many beginners when I say that your vast reserves of experience will prove very, very useful to us all.
Regards,
- A beginner trying to break into IT and then Security