So how would I get started?
You'd get started by launching Google and searching for "cvs documentation", this will inevitably get you to the official manual ("the Cederqvist"). The manual describes everything from how to install on 250 different platforms, how to use the clients, how to do it properly, and how to set up a server.
Before you do that, you may want to be sure that CVS is really what you want to use. There are about a dozen version control systems available on the net, and most of them are better than CVS for most people.
The approach is the same, only replace the word "cvs" with "svn" or "subversion", or something else.
You may also want to look for a graphical client, such as TortoiseCVS (or TortoiseSVN), as these make your life a lot happier. There is at least a dozen of these available on the internet, too.
Then, if your sources are open, you will probably want to use Sourceforge or BerliOS, or Googlecode, or one of the many free hosters, as you don't have to bother setting up the server, and you don't pay for the bandwidth. If it's about your own, private stuff, you will want to set up your own server or use a local filesystem repository.