I have 3 35mm SLR's raning from a full manual, old-school Minolta to a Canon Rebel X to a Minolta Maxxum 7000i. I also have 3 digitals, a Sharp VELC-1, a HP 2.0Mp and a Canon a70.
Starting on a full manual is the best way to go. Once you understand all the technical aspects of a manual camera you can understand how to take perfect photos.
I have found that b/c I have had such experience with the manual I can take full advantage of the digital. If you do get a digital camera, I would suggest a camera that has FULL control, such as:
Aperature Priority
Shutter Priority
Full Manual Mode
Flash output control
Bracketing
just to name a few.
The Canon A70 is a great example of an inexpensive 3.2Mp camera that is durable, has a great optical zoom, as well as wonderful quality outputs. If you are interested I can provide you with some FULL sized shots that really show off what this camera can do.
...that, and if anyone is interested in a slightly used Canon Rebel X, I've got one for sale!
-SF