is MC2 the right program for me?

I bought MC2 several months with the expectation that I could enter the notes of music I've written and make it sound good - at least to me. I don't have an instrument to hook up to to my computer and I'm lost when it comes to most of the terms used in the booklet that came with the program and the help section, etc. I've read the newbie section several times and I'm still learning how to do things just by trial and error. This is very frustrating. So I need really simple instructions on how to use this program if you're not using an outside instrument. Thanks.

Since you aren't using a MIDI keyboard/controller, and you suggest that you can write music, you'll use the staff view. Start a new project, select MIDI only, or normal from the menu, click on a MIDI track, it has a little icon which looks like a tape reel. At the top of the screen, you should have a 'view' button. Click it and select 'staff'. Now you can use the mouse to enter notes on the staff. Whether you can get it to make noise is a whole 'nother story. How fast is your computer? How much memory does it have? What kind of sound card does it have?
And since you won't be using a keyboard (for now), ignore it when it gives you the message about not having any MIDI inputs: you won't need them. Greg

Speaking for myself, when I first started using Cakewalk I did the same thing, learning by trial and error even after reading the guides, and it took a while. Have patience, it takes a while!

If I were you, I would upgrade to version 3; it has a different engine that seems to work much better, runs more stable, supports VST plugins, and in my experience also demands less system resources to function, running cleaner overall. Also, in version 3 they don't (by default) show a lot of less-often used buttons on the main screen that would overwhelm and confuse a new user. All the same functions really are there, but the interface is easier to use without all those buttons.

Also, when pushed to the limit, I've found that V2 and the Pro version of 2 sometimes crashes or doesn't always work right, and I've never used V2 again after upgrading to Version 3. (I really do not miss all that crashing and instability with some plugins in 2, as well as the cursing and swearing on my part that followed.)