The only place I can find where I wrote that something might not be the best for beginners is the APD, and that is an online mailing list. It can be a little hard core where people argue about the color of water in a bucket.
Clubs are definitely the best place to go for beginners. You can never type as much as you can ask in person. Many of the people in GWAPA and I were newbies at the same time, and we learned together. Oh.. the good old days... Ghazanfar had no kids back then and I was 30lbs lighter. The most exciting plant was Ludwigia glandulosa and no one even cares about it these days.
Ghazanfar Ghori wrote:Quite the contrary - newbies are encouraged to be at the meetings. Its the best
place to learn a lot quick and everyone there loves sharing information.
I agree, we are all quite used to answering as many questions as someone can ask about getting a planted tank started. It's boring when there isn't someone there all brighteyed and eager asking questions.
"したくさ" Sean
Aquascape? I'm a crypt farmer.
If you've got bait, I've got wasabi!
I wish I could be like Mr. Sarcastic when I grow up!
Take it from a once super novice that stumbled on this group at a LFS demonstration and have been bitten hard with the bug ever since. Meetings are great and auctions are a super place to start your tank experimentation. This forum also has been my sanity check over the last year and a half. Scary to think its been that long. So I hardily recommend coming to the meetings.
Speaking of auctions this should be the first meeting where I will be bringing plants to the auction .....need to clear out some stuff. Nothing special and dont ask me to talk names as I will probably have to have Sean and Aaron identify it for the auction.
Thanks
Rob
Robert Peterson
"Mr. Sarcastic"
The work will wait while you show a child a rainbow,
but the rainbow wont wait while you do the work
Yes, Mark, meetings are definitely a good place to learn. In addition to any question you might come armed with, one of the definite benefits is that you will see our host's tanks, and be able to ask the "how did he/she accomplish that" type of questions. Believe me, the host will love talking about his/her tank! And it's quite possible that you might see something up close that's not quite perfect that you wouldn't otherwise see in some of the super-polished photographs of tanks you see on the internet. So, don't feel that your tanks have to be perfect to participate in the club. We're all here to enjoy the hobby, whether that's by growing basic plants, entering tanks into aquascaping contests, or inventing DIY projects, that's up to the hobbiest.
Yup, I started out as a newbie in this club myself about 3 years ago now. The information and plants I've gotten from everyone has been invaluable.
Like Sean said, we love to have new people asking questions and getting excited. It reminds us of when we were starting and gives us a new fire as well.
and now he is one of the members that seems to have magic I tell you. Presto chango new plants presto chango grew too many and now am open for business with the world.....
Robert Peterson
"Mr. Sarcastic"
The work will wait while you show a child a rainbow,
but the rainbow wont wait while you do the work
Thanks for all the encouragement. For a moment I was thinking I'd jumped in to the deep end of the aquarium! It's good to know that my rudimentry questions are welcome.
.....need to clear out some stuff. Nothing special and dont ask me to talk names as I will probably have to have Sean and Aaron identify it for the auction. 
