Don't get hung up on the technicalities Sue, some of the stuff gets pretty geeky, all you need to understand are the basics, pretty much like a car, most of us have an understanding for what is normal when we drive, we know not to drive on a flat tyre, and react by taking it to a mechanic when we see a warning light or hear an unusual noise. Re the pump, KK is correct, it's not normal for it to cut in and out unless water/steam has been used, you should only hear the pump run when pulling a shot, or after drawing water from the hot water wand, if your sure the taps have been turned of and the pump continues to cut in and out intermittently I would suggest getting the machine checked over, I presume it's still under warranty. As far as I'm concerned most of us buy espresso machines to enable us to make and enjoy very good coffee at home, not spend every waking minute obsessing about our technique or whether the machine is set up exactly as it should be. Once your machine is set up correctly it should provide years of trouble free service, all you should need to do are routine maintenance jobs i.e. keep it topped up with water, back flush regularly and replace the group head seal now and again. Forget the tech talk and concentrate on enjoying the coffee your producing. 😉
