[CentOS] CentOS 7 docs, tutorials, etc...

hi all,

after many years of working almost exclusively with Windows servers I am
trying to switch to CentOS.

I have a couple of books which were written for CentOS 5, but many
(basic) things do not apply to CentOS 7 anymore, which is very confusing.

Internet resources suffer from the same problem.

for example, one of the books shows a Services configuration tool, which
should be accessible from System > Administration > Server > Services,
but I don't even have a System top menu anymore.  the closest thing I
have is Applications > System Tools but there is no Services applet there.

also, I am trying to set some shortcuts to the Desktop, and preferably
pin them to the Taskbar if such an option exists, but in vain.

using Gnome 3.8.4 BTW.

any ideas?  advice?  TIA!