Basic Setup - Recommendations? Options

[Horse Bodotes]

I have been asked to set up a basic midi/recording/editing system for my 13 yo daughter. She has a Yamaha S80 kb, and wants to go to the next step. Although we are a PC house, I am seriously thinking about getting her a used/refurb Power Mac G4 for music. She wants to make and record techno/jazz, and besides the kb she wants inputs for mics, guitar and who knows what else.

Questions: should I get her an mBox, or would I be better off getting a used Digi 001 on eBay. Or something else??? Is Pro Tools LE easy for a (reasonably computer-saavy) 13 yo to use, or will something else be easier.

Unfortunately, I am going to wind up being her IT support, so I want to keep this as simple as possible. But, I want to get her setup so she is happy with the results.
All suggestions/comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

HB

[Horse Bodotes]

boze,

Thanks for your quick and informative reply. Yes, she wants a Mac but I am strongly leaning in that diewction as well. We have 5 PCs in the house, and I know that it sounds silly to add another platform. But, frankly, I am not looking forward to supporting s/w w/ steaming data requirements (besides which I know nothing about) on XP Pro. It kind of boils down to "killing two birds w/ one stone"...

I must add that I don't consider myself computer-stupid. I have run a systems integration firm for 16 years, and I am quite comfortable w/ U**X, Windows and Linux. If Linux was a real option, I would be there in a second. But this machine is going to be located downstairs in the "studio" (converted playroom), and I don't want to see it, hear it or touch it unless it is absolutely necessary. While my daughter expects something that will work and I want something she can grow with, she is also only 13. I figure that in 18-24 months it will be time for a new system anyway, and prices for 1-1.25 GHz G4 Power Macs are reasonable (sic).

The thing that I am really asking is if PT LE s/w is the best way to go. A lot of folks swear by Logic and Cubase; is there a significant difference for a new e-muscian that doesn't have the liability of previous experience. How well does PT LE handle midi (I read conflicting reports)? For the present, my daughter wants to sequence from her kb, add vocal tracks and occasionaly record w/ a friend (kb & guitar) . The mBox would probably work, but I am assuming that 8 ports would be better, right?

Re: your suggestion for the Tascam us-428 - I never really considered that appraoch. I was simply planning to add an 8-port mixer (A or D, ???) later, when she was ready to edit and write CDs. Maybe I need to re-think my options. What are the pros/cons of a h/w control surface vs. s/w mixing?

Thanks again for your response,

HB