Hi David,
Truth be told, all of the scopes mentioned will make you say "wow" quite often as you gaze heavenward! I learned my way round the sky the old fashioned way...without any Goto and electronics...this is maybe the hard (?) way to do it, but has the HUGE advantage of meaning you can spend less money on electronics and more on aperture! An 8" Dob will only set you back $500 or so and give superior views than the smaller electronic scopes you mentioned. If you can handle the size and weight of a 12" Dob then I say, go for it! Honestly, it won't take that long with a bit of practice to find your way round the sky and even a 12" Dob will not cost the earth for magnificant views! Lots of fun ahead...!!
