Confused and discouraged w/ LR 2

I'm quite competent with editing/pp my RAW (converted to DNG) photos in ACR and CS3, using Bridge to get around. I do digital illustration (PS) for a living.
I bought LR 2 and am confused. Is it going to create additional files (dupes) on my hard drive or just the new data created within it? I know some of the things in it look neat, quick and seem handy, but don't seem to have the control and editability of layers in PS. I've only just dabbled in it, but am concerned about learning a new way if it's not really a lot better than what I'm doing now, both with processing and cataloging. My reference book says LR adds the new data directly to dng's, and adds (bothersome?) sidecar files to proprietary RAWs. It warns of the (slim) possibility of corrupting your psds or tiffs with the new data being embedded. Can't show the changes in iPhoto (not that I use that any, if at all). It just seems like so much bother. I do like the idea of staying within one program for so many things, but I like complete control. If I paint in a mask in LR, (with very limited brushes) can that single mask be removed, without canceling out all the other RAW edits, like I could do with a simple PS layer mask?
Compared to my current workflow, it seems so much more complicated. Does this make sense to anyone or am I just a lazy whiner?...

Trout Bum wrote in post #7667552
I'm quite competent with editing/pp my RAW (converted to DNG) photos in ACR and CS3, using Bridge to get around. I do digital illustration (PS) for a living.
I bought LR 2 and am confused. Is it going to create additional files (dupes) on my hard drive or just the new data created within it?

It saves your editing - in sidecars with extension xmp. It does not create duplicates, unless you export and re-export. If you make a 'virtual copy', the 'copy' is another set of tweaks, not a new image file.

Look to the left pane in Develop mode, and you will see your editing layers

In my opinion, it is far far better especially for cataloging. I find it invaluable now, with the volume I shoot (~5k images per week).

Very small file s- not bothersome. If you set default for LR to write these files on import, you are covered if/when you move out your files to another location, or, as happened to me a few days ago, you spend a few hours editing shots only to have something crash. A re-import also includes all your editing.

You have layer steps on the left, and although I do not use LR for anything other than basic standard tweaks, I believe you can save 'snapshots'.

Sounds like you are talking your way out of using LR. If it doesn't feel right to you, don't use it. However, aside from Aperture, I do not know of a program that does what LR does, with the ease, flexibility and reliability. It really is a wonderful program. I suggest you look up some online video tutorials.

I kind of felt like you when I got LR2. There's a big learning curve and I'm still trying to come up with the right workflows. Overall I like it a lot but still my biggest gripe is the laggy editing. Going from editing one control to another just is so slow. I don't know if it's my machine or what but PS CS4 is loads faster on the same computer.

If you convert all your RAW images to DNG there are no sidecar files to worry about.

Each and every edit made to an image, including masks can be re-edited and/or removed without affecting any other edit. You can also copy from one image any or all settings including crops, vignettes etc and paste them to any other images.

A feature I think is cool is that you can create virtual copies of an image. Say you want to take one image and process it three different ways. With virtual copies you don't have to save two additional versions of the first you just create virtual copies which are instructions on how to process the original image but they appear in the catalog just like any other image except for a dog ear on the corner.

Also, since everything can't be done in LR, you can easily open an image in PS, edit it save it and it is automatically saved to the original folder and added to the catalog.

Mark and Gooble-

Thanks for your help. Guess I just needed a smidgeon of encouragement to wade through yet another learning curve...