I switched to macs several years ago after being introduced to them at work and then having multiple issues with our PC's at home. At one time Macs were shunned because software was limited, but these days are long gone. You can get almost any software used on a PC for a Mac. You also don't need to worry about viruses since 99% of viruses are PC based and apple has some great anti-virus protection. We just upgraded our eMac to the latest OS X Tiger operating software. I use MS Office, Explorer and other "PC" software on a daily basis with no problems. Several good sites to buy Macs from are:
www.smalldog.com (an authorized apple seller/reseller)
www.apple.com Check out their section on "refurbished" computers. They come with fill warrantys for good prices. They have refurbished 30GB iPods for $179, which is a great price (they are $249 full price).
You can also check their site to see if there is an Apple store located in your area where you could check out their products in person if you are new to them.
Also check their site for educational discounts on certain products if you are a student. We got the Tiger software for half the normal price since I am attending one of the listed schools.
Hope this helps. Thanks.