The songs are not of the same quality as my LAME encoded VBR files if other online reports are true. I'd have to verify myself of course. However, having an original CD can't be beat for versatility. I can always re-encode again in a future format. Decoding the AAC only to reapply another lossy compression isn't going to be ideal.

"Almost exactly" - are you serious? If it's EXACT, then there's no "almost" about it. If it's "almost" then it's not exact. The two words contradict each other and should be used exclusively of one another. I'm sure you'll dig up some proof that it's acceptable usage but I've always been taught it isn't. The "beyond install" should have been "beyond installing." Not that I'm a stickler for that sort of thing of course. Though, I did nail my girlfriend this afternoon for sending out a mass email full of apostrophes where there should have been none. No pun intended...

I have to figure out sometihng to do tonight so I can can avoid writing this evening off as a complete veg session. Hmm...

Bruno