DVD-r cd's...dvd movies...dvd-writable drive & NOT A CLUE! help.?

I have a DVD burner on my computer. I have the blank cd's (dvd-r). I have dvd's...but I am not sure on how to get started at all. I'm scared to download just any program to find out on my own...viruses and whatnot. Plus, I don't know what I need to do!!! Something about shrinking, decrypting, ripping and all that....I need to know what programs I need, where to get them and what all I have to do and in what order...oh please help me. It's a labyrinth.