So I'm too lazy to read carefully through every post, but as a Canon T1i owner since December of 2009, I'd say it's a really solid camera, especially for the $500-ish pricepoint.
As for discussion about Nikon vs. Canon, you really need to go into a store and put your hands on these bodies! Nikon seems to be laid out for smaller hands, and I know for me it feels cramped. Also, Nikon lenses tend to be about 15% more expensive.
Unless you get a D90 body or another more prosumer grade one, the bodies do not have the autofocus motor necessary to operate the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 and some other inexpensive primes that are great for beginners. On the T1i, any lens with an autofocus should work, as they all have their own motors built in. My girlfriend, who owns a D3000, just upgraded to a D90 over this issue.
As for image quality, the T1i is spectacular if you're coming from a non-DSLR. Honestly, you owe it to yourself to get the nifty fifty (50mm f/1.8 prime) and also the 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom when you can. Those lenses are excellent, and they give you WAY more options, particularly in low-light situations or in portraiture when you want that really shallow depth of field that leads to lovely bokehs (that's the aperture-shaped blurring effect outside of the focal area).
That zoom will set you back about $800, but just like a great pair of headphones here, you can always sell it for about what you paid if you ever find yourself not using it.
