Off Topic: Computers and Music

[wiener <wiener...>]

I hope that Ari permits this off topic technical question from a
novice on matters of computers and music.  Please send responses
privately,   unless Ari believes that answers to these questions are
of general interest.

I'd like to use my computer more for music purposes, for example, to
listen to music from the internet.  (Last Sunday the lead New York
Times Arts & Leisure section article cited napster.com as the source
for listening to specifically identified, otherwise hard-to-find,
recordings.)  But I have only 220 MB of free space on my 6(?) year old
IBM Aptiva A40's 2GB Drive C.  What are my best short/long term
alternatives for getting more space, with cost a significant
consideration?

1. Software: Might I be able to free up space by
compacting/compressing files  (something I already do that with my
e-mails) with software that I already have loaded (without knowing it,
as part of my initial package) or should I buy software?  For example,
I've been told that internet clutter can take up a significant amount
of room.
2. Added hard drive: I understand that I could get a 10GB hard drive
for under $100.  But it seems that if I want to copy my current hard
drive onto that new one, I would also need a ("ghost") software
program that would cost nearly as much.
3. Other alternatives?

New computer: Does that make most sense?  And if I eventually decide
to go that route, what attributes should I look for in a computer to
pursue musical interests, including
    a. CD "burning" capacity
    b. cataloguing
    c. other?

Bob

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