I've never networked 2 computers.
If you're coming at it from a non-IT perspective, it certainly looks like an insurmountable challenge. However from an IT perspective its one of the simpler projects in life, so its not an unrealistic challenge to set yourself. Particularly as once you've achieved it, it is a particularly rewarding skill to master because of the multitude of uses and freedom of being able to share files over the network without fumbling around with USB sticks, CD burning and all that nonsense.
Yes, the old version of OS X to Windows was perhaps not the greatest starting place. But wrap your head around that and you'll find newer OS X to Windows or Windows to Windows a doddle.
Carry on posting as long as you like. I'll try (hopefully others too !) to help if I can figure out where you're going wrong, but I'm also a firm believer in getting your hands dirty in order to learn stuff..... I never had any formal training in IT, just bit by bit you learn stuff as you go along (and learn from your mistakes too). You never stop learning in IT... both because of the ever changing nature of it, and also because you find yourself keen to learn how to do stuff you already know better and more efficiently.
Right... that's enough waffle from me. You should be getting back to your file sharing !