Thinking of making the switch

Hi, I've been using a PC for as long as i can remember and I want to get a notebook before i move away to university next september. I was surprised by how powerful the barebones macbook is.

This obviously isn't the forum for impartial "should i choose a mac or pc" questions, so i'm gonna just jump in and ask:

How fast is the 2.1GHz processor on a macbook compared to on a desktop PC with similar processor (not dual core)?

The RAM upgrades look like a complete rip off to me- are macs particularly picky about what RAM you install or will generic RAM work? I assume size and pin number play an important role here. (searching didn't help me here- there seems to be a new range of macs every 2 minutes so i have no idea if what's true for the last range of macs is true for this range)

How important is it to get a protective cover for the laptop? Will just putting it in a rucksack type "laptop bag" damage it in any way? The finish just looks so darn nice i don't want to spoil it.

Is the backlit keyboard and screen a feature only found on MBPs?

And finally - I never, ever install pirated software or listen to music for free. But my friend who's thinking of buying a macbook told me to ask how easy is it to find versions of photoshop, logic (or cubase), office (especially word and excell) for mac for free? (If it violates forum policy to ask that please just skate over it)

Whew, load off my mind...

Your last question cannot be discussed here - my personal advice is that you stick to your policy of not running such software. If you're going to university, something like Logic Pro can be picked up for $150, which is an absolute steal for a package that a year ago would have cost you $999.

A 2.1ghz Core2Duo is far more powerful than any comparable non-dual core CPU, such as a Pentium 4 or AMD64 for example. In the CPU area, the MacBook packs plenty of punch.

No one here would deny that Apple charge way too much for RAM. 3rd party RAM is fine, I'd recommend Crucial personally, but other companies are fine too.

White MacBooks do get scratched eventually, even if you get a really nice case for them, so the protective skin can be useful.

The backlit keybords are only available on the MBP and the MacBook Air - however that may be about to change, as there are rumoured to be new MacBooks coming in the summer. No one can be sure if and when they're coming, or what the features will be.