/diy/ - Do It Yourself

I haven't read through the whole thread yet but I want to mention Mango Languages.

It's the best program I've ever found for language learning, and you can get it for free because they work with public libraries; all you need is a library card with a library who has Mango and you can access it online. There is probably a version of it you can buy, or maybe a version of it you can use for free even without a library card...But anyway, it's a great program for introducing yourself to a language and getting a handle on the basics. I've only seen a little bit of Rosetta Stone but I really think it's pretty lame compared to mango, and wayyyyyyy overpriced.