ime the trick is to use the tablet in mouse mode.. sooo much more ergonomic than a mouse. i do use a 4x5 tablet.

i spent years creating large ensembles in a modular audio environment where one connects 'cables' between two points, which kills with a mouse.. absolutely the only way to do it.

iirc the first few weeks i had an issue with navigating folders.. the cursor would move when lowering the tip and i'd drag folders into adjacent folders (often without noticing). been 4-5 years and much better than the physical strain of mouse clicking.

i currently use photoshop elements 3 having previously used ps6. elements has, among other things.. no pen tool.. and no layer folders.. other things are easier to deal with (eg. no undo fade) but those two things made it significantly inferior.

i was recently sent a copy of elements 8 or 9.. what a piece of crap. crashed opening jpgs. all the developer names are indian (nothing against india but it's not the same as it used to be). stupid crap like changing the keys for functions that have been the same for years.

it has a few new features that basic users might like, eg. for fixing red eye photographs. i use the pse 3... and, when i'm wealthy, will buy an old copy of ps 6 or 7.

premiere elements is okay (from someone who hasn't used alternatives apart from ms movie maker). stable, works, but basic. not designed for arranging video clips to an audio track.. that will make you bitter because it keeps moving up all the video clips after one you remove.