Whats the easiest and best video editing program?

[Bastinka]

I'm on an adventure http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o290/SilentWindPL/awesome_pirate2-1.png to find the best video editing program I can. I was looking at vegas and adobe after effects but I really don't know which ones the easiest, I sure can't afford more than one. Anyway, does anyone know the best (Most features that are good and very useful) and easiest (Either has lots of tutorials that are easy to follow, or is just easy to pick up on by screwing around) video editing program?

And no not WMM.

[itszutak]

I've seen some impressive stuff done with vegas, and I haven't heard about adobe's video editing stuff. Try the vegas one, but first see if you can find a features list for each to compare.

[Bastinka]

That's what I've been looking for. Right now I'm downloading the trial version (http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/trials/vegaspro) of, what looks like 'Vegas'. (In this case Sony Vegas 8.0 Pro)

[thehoodedsmack]

I use Vegas, and find it to be quite easy to use.

[Bastinka]

Alright I'm using the 30 day trial for Vegas 8.0 Pro, trying to figure out how to make sorta text like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atXJB9luiko
.. At the beginning it splotches in, I can see you have to use an alpha mask but how would I go about doing that? Theres no tutorials for vegas on Tutorialized and I can't find any simple ones anywhere :[

[Limited]

Vegas is great, I use it all the time. Its easier to get to know that after effects/premier, there is less functionality, but theres enough to do most jobs.