Oracle Database Discussions

Hello,

I have Oracle 11g release 2 installed on linux redhat 5, big learning curve since i am use to windows, but linux i hear is much bettter. so anyways i have installed oracle 11g release but, but ran into some errors when installing which are bleow:

Hard limit: maximum open file descriptors
OS Kernal Parameter: ip_local_port_range
OS Kernal Parameter: aio-max-nr

also:
Package: libaio-devel-0.3.106
Package: sysstat-7.0.2
Package:unitODBC-2.2.11
Package:unixODBC-devel-2.2.11

I fixed the top three when i googled each error, then i did the fix, but when i go to re-run the install the top 3 errors still came, not sure why, so i hit ignore them and continue install. So now when i log into sysdba, using command on oracle account i type in terminal:
sqlplus / as sysdba

then i type select * from v$version;
but when i do it says:
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01034: ORACLE not available
Process ID: 0
Session ID: 0 Serial number: 0

Does anyone know why i am getting this, is it because of the error message from the install? and if you need logs where can i locate them at on this linux pc? was it a good idea to go and install oracle on a linux box, or would windows be just as good?

thanks in advance all

sorry i am a noob (but a network engineer) wanting to become a dba :)