general digital recording query

["Peter Shindler" <shindler@mediaone.net>]

Sorry to distract y'all from the Napster and "can chicks loop?" threads
(both of which I'm enjoying immensely, keep it coming), but here's 
something
that's on my mind.

I've just been introduced to the world of digital recording by a friend
who's letting me borrow his Roland VS-840 Digital Workstation.  I've been
having a blast playing around with it, especially mixing-and-matching my 
own
guitar loops and noises with Acid and FruityLoops drum sounds.  However, it
occurred to me that most of the cut-and-paste functions I've been messing
with would be much easier if the whole process was done on my PC.  So now
I'm considering buying a package like Cakewalk, and I'm wondering:  Is a
program like that really comparable to a stand-alone recording unit?  What
does the Roland do that a good software program cannot?  And aside from
Cakewalk, what other programs should I be checking out?

Thanks.  I'm sure I'm asking the right people (just keep it clean!).


Peter