I have never played ANY multiplayer video game. If you compared me to a dead racoon, we would know the same amount about potbs.

Here are my first questions:
1. I understand that the software costs $50, and I have to pay $15/month. How hard is it to leave the game? Is there a contract like with a cell phone, or can you quit whenever you like.

2. I don't see anything on the website about HOW we pay the $15. Is taking your cc number handled through the client?

3. Can we pay using payPal?

4. Does that $15 entitle me to create many characters or just one?

5. How hard is it to switch servers? Reading forum posts, I get the impression that players switch at times. If you switch servers do you have to start a new PC?

Hi OhioSteve! Sorry that your reply is coming so late, but better late than never :)

1. There is no contract; you can unsubscribe at any time and your game time will expire one month from the time when you subscribed. (Provided you have chosen a monthly subscription, as there are usually options to pay up front for 6 or 12 months, and have it be cheaper per month).

2. Different games have different methods of paying. The most popular are using your credit card, and using pre-payed "game time cards" that you can purchase at the store should you not have access to a credit card. Payment is done through the website of the game, and somebody correct me if I am wrong, but in the entire history of subscription based online games, there has yet to be a case where a customer has been a victim to fraud by a game company. Therefor it is entirely safe to use your credit card. However, it is not safe if your computer is infected with trojans, but that goes for any online purchase; so you might want to make sure on that at first.

In the case of PotBS in particular, you use a website called Station.com which is universal for all Sony Online Entertainment games. Here is a screenshot of what it looks like:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/guitar_xe/subscription.jpg

3. Like mentioned above, different games have different payment methods. You will have to check on each game's site individually to see what options are available to you. If I recall correctly, PotBS does not have that option.

4. Once again it differs for every game, but in almost all cases you can create multiple characters per account, and in most cases per server as well. Some games allow you to have only one character per server. For PotBS you can create several characters per server, but all your characters on one server must be in the same nation. (i.e, Spain, Great Britain, France, Pirates, etc)

5. Switching servers is as easy as simply creating a new character on it. However, all your belongings from the characters on your other server do not get transfered over, so you have to to start from scratch. Thus, many people prefer to stay on their server as to not lose all that they have worked for. Some games allow "transfers" between servers, and this is usually a paid service and is restricted in one form or another to prevent certain exploits that might unbalance the game.

Another thing of note, is that when you buy a game that requires a subscription you must present a subscription plan during your registration, or you will not be able to play. What I mean is that when you register you are given a screen to input your CD-key to create your account, and after that a way to subscribe. Most games give you a free month of play time for just buying the game itself, but you cannot use that unless you specify a subscription. You are not forced into paying after that one free month, but for specific reasons you must first subscribe. In the case of using credit cards, it is simple; you choose a subscription, use your credit card, the account is created, and you then subsequently unsubscribe. This way you are never charged, because your subscription does not start until that first free month of play is up.
If you are using a game time card, however, you are out of luck, as there is no way to refund game time cards once the code on them has been scratched off.

Now since this is your first time playing an MMO, I'd like to give you some advice. I know I'll sound biased on saying this, but before you decide that this is the MMO you want to play you should first do some research on others that are available. Ask around and see what people suggest is the better game to have as your first one. For the love of yourself do not ever play World of Warcraft. It will ruin your experience of MMORPGS and online games in general.
There are also some MMOs available that are free to play. These are generally not very good at all, and unrecommended as your first MMO, but there are some ones that are quite good and may serve as a sort of free demo for you if you are hesitant on paying for something you are not sure if you will enjoy.