I am close to my decision on the Apple Powerbook vs. a new Dell. Leaning towards the former - have talked to many, many people and the consensus seems to be that I would adapt very fast, I'll have Word, it will be scads faster, I'll have wireless in the house as well as the road, and all the little stuff like iTunes and iMovie, etc. which are all extras on a PC.
The one thing the Mac expert has suggested and I am tending to agree with him, is to buy a new one from a reputable dealer (he has a place in Oregon he uses - no sales tax and free shipping) rather than eBay. There were two almost-new ones on eBay which came with the extended warranty and a few extras, but who knows what you're really getting - I think brand new out of the box is the way to go. That way, I'm the first and only user. Opinions always appreciated. I think, however, decision time is on the 'morrow.