Novice Needs Some Advice, optimising audio, interface, switcher Options

[gigglesquirt]

hey everyone!
im real glad i found this site! it looks like you people are providing a good forum for many of us out there! thanks!

i have just bought a new G4 14 Ibook 1ghz, upgraded to 640mb,with panther and am looking to make and record some music, and do some video work.
i have reason 2.5 running with a plan to get recycle and some sequencing software.....i am pretty new to all of this and have been researching to see what would be a good set up...........i have just ordered an oxygen 8 for my midi needs.......i have switched from using pcs to mac (yes yes, good choice i know) and have been trying to get the hang of the nuances of osx panther.

anyway ive got some questions which i hope someone could help me with....

1. what soft synths should i consider getting? absynth seems pretty good to me but im still not sure

2.i want to record vocals and guitars so am considering gettin an mbox or mackie spike for my interface because portability is a major thing for me. are there any other products that i should consider or be aware of? i have no experience with protools so im not sure if its right just because of the limitations i have read about concerning what plug ins etc you can use.....no vsts,etc....however, i think i could get around it....does this sound like a feasible way to do this?.....i just wanna start with something that will do the job well and ill just work with what i have.......get on the good foot from the start.......i have been doin guitar based music eg punk and funk, but am keen on making some electro breaks hip hop beats......im a big fan of stuff on ninja tune, warp, kompakt and the sf turntable scene....

3.how do i optimise my g4 for doin audio.....i have read about partitioning but everything i see seems related to the pre jaguar os...unless im just simply retarded did they change the name of the extensions manager cause i just cant find it......remember im a complete beginner so my naivety could be excused.....maybe...is there a site i can look at to help me out with this?

4.if i wanted to do some live work with the ibook triggering sounds, loops, etc, what do i need to set it up and what should i be aware of?....i wouldnt want to blow up my computer.....i know thats super vague but im talking about hooking the g4 up via the pa or mixer or other hardware?.....i cant be that hard can it?

5.can you recommend any other good sites that have good information on music making, mac tips, etc..

ahh too many questions, and i have many more but ill leave it there for now.

i am currently living in taiwan so they couldnt give me an english manual for the ibook and electronic music is really really new here, meaning the local music stores dont have the merchandise i want and if i want it, i have to order it and buy it straight up.....really kills me that i cant try anything before i buy or get good advice from the sales people......that is not a whinge, its just a fact.

thanks for reading and any help would be fully appreciated!
cheers
eddie