Agreed. I've used Mac (starting with the Plus) Win (starting with 1.0) and *nix (various flavors.) Having done so, I always pick the software needed to do the job first and then buy the hardware to best support it.
I've use XP on my trusty Dell Inspiron 8500 for years and am still happy with it (allthough my Dell is now pretty underpowered for today's day and age. And the stupid d key hardly ever works without some encouragement.)
I'll prolly buy a new laptop after Windows 7 Service Pack 1. I hear it will run most of my favorite XP software anyway and most everything worthwhile will be updated by then anyway.
Microsoft better be rewriting from scratch as we speak or they are history.
So far my experience with Win7 has been good. It runs 12-yr-old apps built for WinNT/95, it has drivers, it recognizes pretty much everything I've thrown at it. I don't like its visual aspect, or the limitations it places on system tools, but as an application platform it's going to be good.