Wow...glad this thread got bumped up, cause I'da never noticed it!
I bought my iPod in November of 2001...about two weeks after they were originally introduced. At the time, it was Mac-only, had a 5gig HD, had an actual FireWire plug instead of a Dock connector, had a scroll wheel that actually turned, was 3/4" thick (which is thick by today's standards, but at the time seemed shockingly small), and cost a whopping $399.
I have used it almost every day since. :laugh:
I did have to replace the battery on it about a year-and-a-half ago, but it only cost $19 bucks and it doubled the original battery life. Of course, I've worn out countless sets of headphones. I've dropped it more times than I can count--including on concrete--and it still doesn't have a significant dent or scratch (although naturally, it does have plenty of surface scratched on the back).
My little 1st gen iPod is easily the best consumer electronics product/gadget I've every bought. Sure, it may be lacking in some of the modern features (dock, color screen, pics & video, etc) but it's rock solid and 100% reliable. If/when this little guy dies, I'm gonna be sad!
We did buy my wife a 4th Gen (click wheel) 20gig model when they first came out; the large capacity is nice (since I can only fit a fraction of my music library on my iPod at a time) but honestly, it rarely gets used. If it wasn't for listening to Audio Books through her car stereo on her morning commute, she'd probably NEVER use it.
I do think I'll be buying a new iPod next year; a 5 year product life is long enough. :awholelot