WYSIWYG = What you see is what you get.

Better than Sonar or FL in what way ? These are Sequencer and Audio production packages that also are host applications for many different softsynths / samplers and effects units. There are others, like Cubase, Ableton Live, Mackie Tracktion, Acid Pro, etc for example. Some users like them better, some don't. There is higher end stuff like Pro Tools and Nuendo as well, but many of us don't need something that extravagant / expensive to make music with.

Like I said, think modular.. or think rack system. Plug in what you want, leave out what you don't want. That's one of the benefits of a software system. You can't really do that with hardware, but the advantage of hardware is that everything or most of everything can be in one box ( machine ). If it happens to have all the features you want, great.

My total setup is a hybrid. The Motif ES does some nice things, my software picks up the slack and adds many things that the Motif doesn't do or doesn't do as well or as easily. I said it before.. The Motif probably has the least intuitive OS vs the Korg and Roland offerings. I chose it because I liked the overall sound palette better.

You already have a computer. Why not try out the host of freeware and working demos out there? Then you can see how it works. It won't cost much if anything except a little time to put it together. You can even use your internal soundcard. Just go get the freeware ASIO4all so that it uses low latency drivers. The sound quality won't be on par with a dedicated audio soundcard, but it should be more than sufficient for tryimg out programs and synths.

AJ