I am becoming more and more convinced that I should get this lightroom. A few questions: is it user friendly..do you have to use its file system..how much space will it take on HD..when you are done processing what does it save image as or do you have a choice..are my images worth the expense ( I mean I am not a pro or plan to be, this is just fun for me and I give all my work away)
is it user friendly.
I did not find LR that difficult to get used to. If you have been using PSE for awhile and can adjust color, exposure, contrast, etc. then you should be able to figure it out in LR fairly quickly. But just like PSE, there is a lot more to it than meets the eye! You should be able to get started on the basics without too much trouble.
do you have to use its file system
If by that you mean LR's catalog (Library in LR) and tags, no. You can still use PSE's Catalog. Just remember, though, that changes done in pics outside of PSE will not be picked up until you export the picture into PSE.
how much space will it take on HD
My current installation of LR takes up 57 meg in the "My Programs" folder. It also puts a folder in your Documents folder where it stores all the editing commands and that can get quite large. For instance, LR says I have 18,000 photos in my Library and currently my LR folder in My Documents is currently about 9 Gig. I've been using it exclusively on my photos since I picked it up this summer.
when you are done processing what does it save image as or do you have a choice
Saving within LR is a bit of a misnomer. What LR does is save the editing steps you apply to a photo but LR leaves the original photo completely untouched. You see the results of your editing on the screen when you open up the picture, but you can just as easily go back as many steps as you want to or discard all your changes at any time. Changes to a photo are not saved until you export the photo from LR to disc, or into your favorite photo editor. The original file is still available completely untouched. The saved file is another file entirely, but will contain all the changes you have made to it. And LR can export in the usual formats: JPG, TIFF, PSD, DNG, and also offers to save in the file's Original format. LR does not allow you to save over your original file. You would really have to work at it to get it to let you.
are my images worth the expense
I am sure even if you are giving away your work, you still want it to look the best that you can make it look. Is it worth it, then? To me its worth every penny I spent and the amount of time I spend working on my pics.
Before you decide yes or no, Adobe does allow you a free trial for 30 days so you can try it out and see for yourself. Although it will take longer than that to really get to know it well, you should at least get a feel for whether or not it will fit into your routine. You can find free trials of all Adobe products here.
HTH