Newbie Needs Advice!, software/hardware setup can't decide Options

[mook noodler]

First of all, Hello! I've been looking around in here for about 3 hours now and I'm really impressed. This is one of the best forums I've been to and seems to be the most helpful. Now that my nose is well browned...

here's my situation: (and I don't mean to repeat other topics but there's so many that I'm overwhelmed!!!) I've been recording music for the past 3 years or so on a PC with Cakewalk and Cakewalk Sonar. I like Sonar, but I got so sick of PCs that I went and got myself a PowerMac dual1.25 G4 with OSX. Now I needs a new setup. I record guitar, bass, vocals, and keyboard and drum machine. I have a Midisport 4x4 for midi, but I'm definitely not a midi whiz. I also have several outboard effects (delay, compression, etc) that I like to use.

At first I leaned toward the Digi 001 cuz of all the I/O's, but this forum has me thinking Logic or Cubase, which leaves me pretty confused about a hardware interface. I don't think I need a mixer type thing (already have a mixer), but I'd like something with several I/O's for sending tracks to outboard effects, and I'd really like a breakout box. I just need basic plug-ins but would like to be able to add more later. Softsynths would be cool too.

Hope I didn't go over the top w/ details. Any advice/input would be greatly appreciated, and I thank you all in advance! PS: my price range is about $1200.

[PlasTree]

To be quite honest, I chose DP because it was simply the most charming out of the bunch. I found it to be uniquely inviting to work with (I never once referred to the manual when learning it), and it just seemed to fit my sensibilities well. One of the most helpful features it has are context-sensitive balloon help dialogs, which describe almost every function on screen as you roll over them. I found Logic to be immediately offensive to my tastes, with the dark, PC-like graphics and obscure naming scheme (Hyperedit Mode, Environment, etc.). I tried it out for a day, got mostly nowhere, and never touched it again. Protools came across as solid, but a bit out-dated and lacking a few of the efficiencies that I've come to love about DP3, not to mention a lesser ease of use (for newcomers, anyway).

The point is, I can't possibly speak for everyone, because we all appreciate different qualities. You really should find a way to try out each of the programs that you're interested in before you buy, or when you buy, make sure there's a return policy.
I'm sure you could be equally capable with all three of the aforementioned programs, so it's just a matter of taste, really.

I, for one, refuse to work with a program that I find disagreeable, no matter how technically capable it is. Perhaps I'm more picky about interfaces than most, but I can't get over seemingly meaningless decision-making on the developer's part when it comes to such things. These are all subjective statements of course, and you Logic users out there need not take my comments personally. Whatever floats your boat...