Stay in the centre or somewhere like Leith. You really don't want to be in some awful park and ride central belt location like Livingston - a lot of the pleasure is last minute things late at night.

Tickets are expensive. Book for the things you really want to see up front and then fill in the gaps with 2 for 1 offers and the free tickets that people are thrusting on you by the second week.

Yes, it really is as good as they say.

Another vote for staying near the centre.
Register with the Edinburgh Fringe (http://www.edfringe.com/) so you get the programme details as soon as it's released then book up the shows you really want to see immediately.
You'll also be able to get half-price tickets from the ticket booth next to the National Gallery at The Mound.
Comedy dominates but there's loads of other shows to go to as well.

of the Universities. They are relatively cheap, fairly close to the action and the breakfasts are great.

The first week is usually the cheapest and lots of 2 for 1 deals if you book early.Weekend tickets are generally more expensive. Don't book shows too closely together time wise as most venues do not have allocated seats and queues form early for best seats at popular venues.Allow time for getting from one venue to another, the place gets very busy and even short journeys can take longer than normal.

The Free Fringe is a big of a lucky dip but it is free and some surprisingly good stuff can be found. For example John Otway was performing two different free shows for one week of the Festival. Places like the Royal Mile and The Mound provide official busking sites and often some good stuff to be found. It is mandatory to watch at least one juggling act.

You can indeed get comedied out but watch out for the Gala Charity Comedy shows where a lot of the top names perform on one bill.These usually sell out quickly before the bill is announced but generally have a pretty impressive line up.Usually takes place at the Festival Theatre. The big names will cost you finding tomorrow's stars is the fun of it. The Stand Comedy Club has good stuff all year round so pretty reliable during the Festival. The refurbished Assembly Rooms will be hoping to make a big impression too.

It's a great city that's why I live here. Try and see some of it and avoid the obvious tourist traps to save on food and drink

Week one at the fringe is when you get the two for one tickets. Go then, it's as cheap as it gets. The fiver fringe and the free fringe are not to be sniffed at either, people like Robin Ince and Will Hodgson are regulars there.

I'm very lucky, I have friends in Edinburgh and having places to stay saves a fortune. However don't stay on the outskirts. The fringe is great at around 2 in the morning.

One minor bit of advice is, during the day, eat at the mosque. During the festival they run a kitchen selling the most incredible curries for a fiver. It's my own wee festival discovery which I cheerfully pass over.

This year I went for the first time. MrsDrJ had been before so she had a bit of knowledge, we rented a two bedroom flat very centrally placed, not far from Queen St Gardens. We went for the first week (the week of the London riots) and had two small kids in tow. When we arrived, all we had booked was something for the kids each morning to get us out of the house.

Had a brilliant time. We just booked tickets ad hoc and got to see loads of stuff. I would love to go back because having been there once you leave with an idea of the layout of the city and the venues, so could be more prepared the next time.

Of note it rained a hell of a lot and I had to find an emergency dentist tout suite when a filling fell out. Still had a ball.

Irrespective of the festival, I was just knocked out by Edinburgh. Some really great architecture, the new museum is fantastic, a great town to get around.

Are you going with family, or just significant other?

And build in the 'get between shows time'

The time spent invested in the planning more than paid for itself. I'd go every year if I could.

i'd pretty much echo everything said above ... but add a few things

1. paying £15 quid or more to see a 'name' comedian do a half-baked show where s/he's trying out new material can be a dispiriting experience ... this is one of the reasons why the Free Fringe has taken off in the last couple of years .... lots of gigs, all free, if you think it's been worth a few coins or a fiver (or more) then you drop money in a bucket on the way out ... it's hit or miss - a couple of months ago i saw some great stuff (Robin Ince for example, the comedian who does The Infinite Monkey Cage on Radio 4 with Prof Brian Cox) also some utter dross, but you pay what you think it's worth
http://www.freefringe.org.uk/

2. Don't ignore the official Edinburgh International Festival - the high art daddy with the opera, classical music, theatre etc ... This year i saw an adaptation of Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and both parts of 1001 Nights, the classic compendium of folk tales. Opting for tickets in the upper circle, i think i paid a tenner for each of the 1001 Nights performances and maybe only even nine quid (?) for The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - first class drama in proper theatres like the Royal Lyceum or the King's for much less than the average Fringe show
http://www.eif.co.uk/wubc
http://www.eif.co.uk/1001

3. Definitely stay in the city centre ... half the fun is hanging out late in temporary bars set up around venues (like the courtyard at the Pleasance complex, or the gardens at George Sq) and wondering whether you need to get back to the hotel or just take a punt on one more show

4. And don't forget the Book Festival ... in tents at Charlotte Sq, a great chance to see your favourite authors up close ... this includes the odd music person who has written an autobiography ... like Kristin Hersh who i saw a couple of months back
http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/