After a couple days of use, here are some things I've found with the new .Mac service.

• When purchasing extra email accounts, to go along with your paid service, you can convert a current, unsubscribed iTools account to an email only account. Example: I subscribed to the service, paid my yearly fee, and added an extra email account for my wife. She had an iTools account but only needed the email. When I added my extra email, it asked my if I wanted to create a new email account or convert an existing account. I converted an existing account. Of course, any information on her iDisk would be deleted once her account was converted.
• Backing up to CD-RW does not currently seem possible. I could be missing something, but I get an error message every time I try to back up to a CD-RW using the Backup software.
• You do not have to have an internet connection to restore from a backup that was put on CD-R.
• To update the Virex DAT file (to get the most recent virus definitions) you have to log in to your .Mac account, click on the AntiVirus button, click on the link Check for Updates. This will give you latest DAT file for download. Once downloaded, the DAT file is installed like you would install any piece of software.
• There are still bandwith limitations on ..Mac home pages. I checked on the discussion board (part of the new .Mac service) and found this reply to that very question: "…there is still a limit, but it is dynamic. With .Mac the bandwidth limitations on HomePage have been adjusted. The bandwidth limitations should not be an issue for those users who are using .Mac within the Acceptable Use Policy Guidelines outlined in the .Mac Terms and Conditions. These limits are constantly being adjusted so it is not possible to give specific details of what those restrictions are. If you feel you are using .Mac according to the .Mac Terms and Conditions and your HomePage is suspended due to bandwidth limitations please post back to this forum and give a link to the suspended site." I ran into this problem yesterday. I had roughly 2500 hits and 4000+ page views and I was closed down from about 1am to 8am. It seems that I could have had the problem reviewed and possibly had the account reactivated but I didn't worry about it, too tired.
• iDisk Backup Folder Cannot be modified manually. In the About This Folder file in your iDisk Backup folder it reads "Your iDisk Backup folder contains files that have been copied there by your .Mac Backup software when you perform manual or scheduled backups.  This folder has Read Only access; that means that you can see what's in the folder, but you can't drag files into it. Only Backup can add files to or delete files from your iDisk Backup folder. "

I've had lots of excellent questions in the past two days. Thanks to everyone. If you have any insights or questions, feel free to email me.