My parents want to buy a mac but are a little too outdated to learn a new os... how hard is it to run windows on a mac machine?

Easy.
You can use Boot Camp - it comes with the new Macs and you can install a bootable Windows OS to a different partition with it.
Or you can use VMware Fusion or Parallels or Sun VirtualBox to use Windows in a virtual machine. All of the methods will need a Windows install disc though.

But give Mac OS X a chance - it is much more user-friendly and faster to learn to use than Windows. And any questions - feel free to post here. :)

i have a mac mini and i love it but my parents get confused using my mac so i would like to put windows on it... can i run xp cuz i have a bootable windows xp cd

Yes, XP will run fine (or as good as does on any other PC anyway). BootCamp comes pre-installed on OS X, and is really easy to set up - you can even make Windows the default operating system (I think) by changing the startup disk in System Preferences.

Is your Mac mini an older PPC model, or a newer one with Intel processors? You can only have the easy setup with Windows if your mini has an Intel processor.

it's a power pc G4.... so no it is not an intel processor.... is it still possible or beneficial at all? my parents imac will have the easy set up but i kinda want to load windows on mine cuz i have already found all the dvd converting and ripping programs that i need, and i saved them on a flash drive when i upgraded but they are all for windows..... maybe any suggestions on some good software for ripping converting and burning dvd's

If you don't have an intel Mac, then there is almost no point on having Windows on it. There is one option which is VirtualPC that costs like $80 that emulates an x86 processor, but it is so slow that it will make you cry.
What iMac does your parents have?

Using Windows on a PPC Mac is not a worthwhile project anymore.
You end up with Windows hardware created completely in software. It's not something that you would ever enjoy, as you end up with an emulated PC operating at something like 200 MHz, if you're lucky! XP would be a hopeless dog.... (no offense intended to any dog, but it would be dog-slow)

You should use this as a good excuse to upgrade to an Intel mini, when you would have about 6 different options for using Windows, most leaving you with a good-performing PC, if you really need it!

None yet.... i'm supposed to find out how to put windows on it before they will upgrade =) thanks for the reply's it has been a big help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The point of the mac is it's easier to learn than a PC. Maybe show them how to use the mac for 10 minutes and they won't even NEED a pc anymore?

SLO4SHO - There is no real point in trying to install Windows on a PPC Mac, but if you wanted Mac recommendations for ripping / burning DVDs, all you really need is Toast. It's not free, but it is pretty complete - it will transcode and recompress DVD video (assuming its not encrypted), make disk images, burn audio CDs, DivX Discs and so on. Have a look here:

www.roxio.com

I can't really help you with encrypted DVDs - not sure on the rules about that on this forum, but there are great solutions available for the Mac.

For converting, Google ffMPEGX, Handbrake, and MPEG Streamclip. VisualHub was also good, but I think the company closed down recently.

My parents want to buy a mac but are a little too outdated to learn a new os... how hard is it to run windows on a mac machine?

My much older brother he learned (and stop his tech calls to me) by reading David Pogue's Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition (http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Mac-Missing-Manual-Leopard/dp/0596514123/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233869388&sr=8-2). I almost guarantee they will become almost Mac intermediate power users using this book (it even has pretty pictures too).