Richard Knouse wrote:
> Please bear with me if this subject is already addressed....I haven't
seen
> yet in the last week or so of scouring this newsgroup, but could
somebody
> tell me even more basically what is involved with starting to make
wine. I
> mean as simple as what the first steps are, what the terms mean, etc.
Most
> of what I'm reading here I don't understand...racking, airlock, 2nd
rack,
> 3rd rack, etc.

So what you want is a more simple, basic website. Here's a couple:

You can start he
http://www.joyofwine.net/

And, for a more irreverent look at home wine making:
http://www.glaurung.demon.co.uk/wine/
(You'll have to live with the psycadellic background on that second
webpage)

For your specific questions:
An airlock is a bubbler, or similar device. It uses a water trap to
let gas out of your fermenter, so it doesn't explode, but not let air
in, so your wine doesn't spoil. The websites above tell you you can do
without if you REALLY want to, you just risk making spoiled or
off-flavored wine.

Racking means to use a rubber hose to siphon clear wine off the
sediment that forms at the bottom. You can't pour it off, this
sediment is too light and fluffy. And you don't want to leave it
there, 'cause it's not tasty or pretty to look at in finished wine.