Should I wait for V1.4?

I was ready to start "learning/playing" with zen-cart, so I read few posts first and now I have some questions before I begin:

Should I wait for V1.4??
Should I use WAMP5 or XAMPP??

I have zen-cart 1.3.7 (I know not the latest) and installed XAMPP on my laptop. How do I find out what PHP version is installed?

I also realize that I will be using add-ons (Admin Profile, CAPTCHA, Image Handler, Purchase Order, CC by FAX, Minimum Order, Extra Easzy Pages, Dual Pricing, CEON CC, Testimonial Manager, etc.), so how difficult would it be to upgrade from 1.3.7 to 1.4 with all these add-ons??

Thanks

v1.4 won't be ready for several months yet.
Best to get started with what you've got.

Upgrading to v1.4 will require a few changes to your template and some addons etc.
It would be good for you to upgrade your v1.3.7 so that you get some experience with the upgrade process now.

As to WAMP5 vs XAMPP, I'm not sure I can advise. Either is probably fine for offline playing. A real hosted webserver is always a more accurate reflection of how a site will operate.