Hi there

I have a Sony DCR-DVD101/E and have a few questions which are so frustrating that any help to clarify things for me would be great!!
I've been searching around, Sony's site etc and it is all useless and I can't even work out how to contac them - terrible!.. so maybe i can get some help here.

The software that came with my camcorder ages ago that transfers the captured footage of the DVD to computer via USB does not work with vista.. any ideas??

With a DVD camcorder what are the alternatives/best way for transfering things to computer - and how does the whole finalizing business work!! Pleaseee clarify.

I can plug in the camcorder with the DVD in and transfer as avi format - but does this DVD have to be finalised?
Once the DVD is finalised, is it no use anymore?
Is there a way to transfer the data from the DVD to com without the cable, with or withour finalising it?
If finalising a DVD-R disk is the end of it, what is the case with a DVD-RW?
I had an idea that surely I could finalise the DVD and rip it on to my computer, is this a good idea? but surely this is a waste of the DVDs?
Can I transfer the data via the cable without the software?? could i get windows to recognise it is as an external drive or something :-S

Any help would be so useful
Thanks so much in advance