I don't really agree or endorse the idea of buying an acoustic first. I do understand the argument about paying out a lot of money for very expensive equipment for an electric set up, only to quit after a very short while. However, a good acoustic can cost way in excess of a decent electric - I'm not necessarily talking in terms of sound or wood here either, every cheap acoustic I've ever seen has string action at painfully high levels and makes the entire playing experience a chore and can make playing very uncomfortable over even short periods of time and will leave you with more muscle ache than if you played a reasonable guitar (You will get some aches in your hands and fingers to begin with simply because your muscles in your hands/fingers have never had to make those shapes before and you are in effect, exercising them). This can really discourage your playing and make you put the instrument down faster.
You can buy some cheap priced starter packs, they're not amazing guitars or amps, but they will be more comfortable. In fact, whilst not exactly having the reputation of someone like Fender or Gibson (personally I hate both), Yamaha do a Pacifica bundle for next to nothing and they actually feel better than most medium grade Fenders to play and most definitely more comfortable on the neck and fretboard than a cheap acoustic.
My best advice is to ask yourself some questions, like "what kind of music do I want to play?", "What kind of sound do I want?" - I don't mean that you're thinking about starting 'Vegetarian Progresssive Grindcore', but do you want effects or just acoustic? If the former, then I'd suggest an electric because you can always and easily place any effects on the signal and get a playable sound with zero effort as opposed to an acoustic.
Look at what you want to do with it now and where you'll be say 6 months down the line - you may be content now to sit strumming an acoustic in your bedroom while you get the hang of it, but then you might want to be playing something radically different but are now limited due to your equipment and having to look at the prospect of shelling out for a new set up. If you buy an electric you can get pretty much the best of both worlds; it takes nominal effort to make an electric sound similar to an acoustic.
Go out and try some out, forget names - don't buy a Jackson just because you think you heard they were good, try them out, see how they feel holding it, feel the neck out and check the string action - too high will kill your hands. Comfort here is key, it will keep you playing. Check each note - this may sound stupid, but I've picked up many a guitar where the notes just immediately drop out and choke on the higher range, you do not want that! Take your time in the store and don't be embaressed, remember it's your money so you dictate what happens and there's no pressure, the last thing you want is to be rushed in your decision and end up buying a turkey.
In terms of help, yes, the internet (obviously) has a lot of free sites and also sign-up sites that do video lessons and the like, as well as billions of tab etc. In terms of videos, I can't recommend the John Petrucci DVD highly enough.
