You are using audacity without linux?
A few years ago, getting reliable full duplex recording on Linux was
difficult, so the first libre audio software I used for recording was
indeed Audacity on Windows 98. But for the last year or two we have
been using Audacity only on Linux. Before that I used Cool Edit and
Cakewalk, and had a few tries on Cubase but never ran it myself.
There were also a few shareware music apps for Windows, like the
Hammerhead (?) drum machine that I liked - now Hydrogen is better
though.
But I believe the microphones where not linux ;-)
You're right - they were pure analogue!
Cheers
Daniel