Good advice from David:
...Start with the technical bit.
Lesson 1. Take of lens cap/turn camera on.
Press shutter release.
What appears in the camera is what was in front of it.
This is the most important. Just get taking photos, and, when you're not taking them, thinking about framing a shot. This will be informed by:
Look at photos you like. Try to copy them. Think about what makes them so good (where does the light come from? what was the point of view? Where is the subject positioned in the frame?) Slightly more technical: what was the focal length used (wide, standard, long)?
At this point the camera you use makes little difference.
So you get to looking at a scene and deciding how to capture it. What's important or interesting
to you? Colour, texture, shape, action can all be suitable subjects. Look at it from different angles, walk about, wait to see it in different light if you have the luxury. Is there a better view? Do you want a brighter light to heighten the contrast, or does that flatten it out too much?
Don't be afraid to get in close. Shots tend to get more interesting the closer you are. Yes, you can crop later, or use a zoom to enlarge what you're seeing, but getting close to your subject is particularly satisfying.
Don't worry either about taking a lot of shots of the same subject using different settings/viewpoints etc. It used to be that I'd have to be careful because of the costs of film & processing, but, with digital, you can take more and delete them once you understand why you don't like them. That's an important point in itself. David is encouraging us all to be more self-critical photographers, and that's important. You need to understand why you like the ones you like, and why you think the others don't work.
Once the basics of composition etc. are there then it is time to think about the technical...
I think the first technical issue you need to consider is your camera. It's a box to capture light in. But it won't capture anything at all if it's not thee when you want it. A compact is a good start. One with a good lens will be fine - and that doesn't mean it has to be a super-duper long zoom. You want something with a moderate wide angle for general purposes, and a short tele for portraits etc. If it's light and not complicated to use, you'll have it with you when the moments happen.
Last bit of advice: Have fun!
I've rambled on long enough.