To all the wise and experienced composers!
The school accompanist and I are learning midi imput. We make tapes for the classrooms, etc. and she will do composing. We both run imacs: she has 8.6 and I have 9.2.2. She also has an external sequencer (Proteus?) I have Music Shop and Finale software. Finale does not work in any midi entry yet (I'm playing with my syncs, etc.) Music Shop works just fine. The high school runs on PC's and has Sebilus composing software. Should we buy new software? If so, what?

so scoring and printing music is important for you? extensive editing? There's a bunch of options and I've heard a lot of good things about Sibelius (available on the mac too I believe). Your Finale problem sounds like your OMS isn't working properly. Need more info

I used Finale with a Proteus years ago (they were bloody expensive at the time).
Yes - give more details. Do you want audio input as well as midi?

I compose but now only with audio and Mbox/Protools so I can't help much.

Look at Logic.

Like filarion says, you might have a problem with setting up.
Finale should work in MIDI. Finale can import and export a MIDI file.
Can you use Music Shop to export any MIDI files ? I'm sure Sebilus can read a MIDI file.

The other method: Make a Finale file (you can scan it ) then export it as a MIDI file or an RTF ( Rich Text Format ) .

Sibelius also import Finale files