Well, I've talked to a few people and I believe my final decision, in the short term, is to just go with a PC. They're cheaper, faster, easier to upgrade... just as better deal for the money. Phil McNally, the creator of the short film "Pump Action" and a good friend of mine, has said to me that for e-mail and video, the Mac is great. But, for purely 3D work, the PC is better. So many more options... I'm excited now. Some folks here have said you can get a great "Maya PC" for around $600. Which computer would that be? And if not that one, what would you all recommend looking into?