Thanks for the info.
For all i know about computers, I've never really delved much into the software and file variances, typically stuck with playing with hardware.
I have MediaMonkey already installed, usually use Winamp as a player, but had yet to decide on what to convert cds into for around the house and iPod (or other) playback.
I am not yet convinced to go FLAC vs. WAV. The big drawback in the past really was hd space more than anything. WAV is a bit more universal and as Club says, with a file name and no tag, most players will display that name.
What more do i need?