when there is a new OS available for my BB do i have to manually download it? will i be notified? is there somewhere a new BB user can go to get all these questions answered?

Yes you have to manually download it, install it to your PC, then use Desktop Manager to install it to the BB. You, most likely, won't be notified. You've come to the right place to get these question answered. Check out Main Page - BlackBerryFAQ