Newbie needs assurance

[Kari]

Hi there--I am a new Mac owner, and have spent the last 3 months since I got by new iMac trying to figure out different stuff. I have gotten books from the library, but it seems some things are a bit more complicated than I had hoped they would be.

When I started researching how to backup, SuperDuper! had the most recommendations. So, I downloaded the guide, and am in the process of clearing the external drive that I used to use to back up my PC. A couple questions before I get started. I see a lot of references to a Firewire drive, but my drive is a USB drive. (Maxtor 3200). Is that a problem, or does it just make for a longer backup? I am currently zeroing the drive as recommended.

Secondly, just so I make sure I am on the right track, I am mostly hoping to backup my photos (in iPhoto '08 7.1.1, which I am having issues understanding fully), music, personal documents in case of a breakdown, and if I want to upgrade to Leopard. (Currently I am using Tiger 10.4.11)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or help.