AJust love the stability and security of the Mac OS. And the colour scheme is so nice, and can self-calibrate your display without spending a cent, unlike a Windows PC. Why wait so long to switch to another OS? As a computer engr by training, you should try all the various OSs you can lay your hands on. On my MBP, I have Mac, Vista, 7 and Ubuntu on Paralllels. On my netbook, I have XP and ubuntu dual boot. Go on, pamper yourself, dump windoze if you can (I can't cos 90% of the world are made up of people who cannot appreciate the better things in life, and I have to live with it)In IT, the best things in life are free. :)

AThe book Home Recording For Musicians for Dummies will probably be helpful to you, and it's more like $20. It gives good direction whether you want to go simple or get more involved. As far as getting good sound, getting a good mic is important, and nearly everyone recommends the Shure SM57 or SM 58 as a staple. It's a dynamic mic rather than a condenser (condensers are preferred for vocals) but pretty versatile and not too expensive. Good condensers tend to be more expensive, but you can slowly collect equipment and see what you prefer. (I'm told by my husband that the Shure does miss a little bit of my voice, but I'm still pretty pleased... though now I have a condenser I like too.) You definitely need to have a good recording to get a good sound; software can't make up for any data the mic doesn't capture, or distortion produced by clipping, etc. It goes without saying that to get a professional sound you also need to have a good guitar, good vocal technique, and good guitar technique. I'm no good at judging guitar, but your vocal technique seems fine. It might be worthwhile to get feedback from a guitar teacher and vocal teacher (a couple private lessons) just to some feedback; I think coaches can be helpful at ALL levels of skill.I know that mixing can have a profound effect on how things sound, although I don't know specifics. (The book gets into it more; I've only skimmed that part due to lack of time) On your video your vocals seem too loud in comparison to the guitar and a little overly distorted for the style of the song. I don't know the details why, but that is my impression.The good news is there is a lot of information out there, and no doubt communities/forums that discuss all aspects of recording and production for people at home with limited funds, and equipment is cheaper than ever. My knowledge is very limited, but I've no doubt with some searching you can find people with experience all too willing to discuss every detail. :) Good luck!