To start this blog with noob-friendly I'll give you here all the basic info and software you will need to be able to mod, personalize, etc your Sony Ericsson.
The first program you should install for any program to work right is SEUS (Sony Ericsson Update Service) with this program you can "recover" in emergencies where no matter what you do your phone doesn't respond to the modding programs used. But we are really only going to use it to get the drivers easily installed.NEVER update the phone, most phones are cid52 which is the best to have so you can use SEtool2lite. If you update you will convert the phone to cid53.
SEUS link: http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support/softwaredownloads/detailed/updateservice/w580i?lc=en&cc=my
Setool2lite is the most common and easy to use program to convert, mod, personilize your phone. If your phone is DB2010, DB2012, cid49, cid50, cid51 or cid52 all colo RED, you will be using this program. Here is the link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FSR4N0EG
There is also a program called XS++ but you will never really have to use it (its about the same thing as SEtool)
Now for the last and a bit scary program, FARmanager. With this program you can everyting you can do in SEtool but its a bit more complicated but the good thing is that it's more compatible with diferent phones than SEtool or XS++. With this program you can mod DB2010, DB2012, DB2020 cid49, cid50, cid51, cid52, cid53and color RED or BROWN.
FARmanager download link: http://www.4shared.com/file/77575156/de7d3334/FarManager_SEFP.html
Maybe this was a bit too much info you guys but dont worry when I publish a full tutorial I'll always make it noob friendly. This is just so you can get an idea on how the programs work and waht you will need.