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Has anyone used this? How is it for the price?

Not much to complain about this Minolta at this price.

have the A200K kit and find it excellent for the money. I can send a sample photo to anyone here who is thinking seriously about this camera.

Just get a Nikon D40 and be done with it. MP numbers are highly misleading

Good beginner or first DSLR. Generally considered the best bang for the buck at the moment. If you want higher pixel and live view, Sony A300 is next choice up. Be sure to compare construction quality to D40 and other brands/models. A200 is well made for the money.

Page with various reviews of A200:
http://www.dyxum.com/gear/camera/a200/Sony_Alpha_200_on_the_web.asp

Page with other Sony DSLRs and links to reviews:
http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24851

Pop Photo:
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/4967/first-look-sony-alpha-200.html

As with all reviews, try to read them all, sometimes a negative by a reviewer means nothing to most users (especially a beginner DSLR), and put more weight on the photography media/wed site reviews versus computer/tech web sites or non photography sites and especially comments HERE (including mine!)

Jeez, I guess not everyone bought a dslr, yet... after all these sales and special pricings.

I have a pentax k100d and (17-70mm, 50mm, 70-300mm). In my opinion, (Canon XS, Nikon D40, Sony A200K, or Pentax K200D) will all make people happy. I think they are all excellent for the money.

One thing I just want to mention is that once you step into DSLR, you'll begin wanting to buy more stuffs: lens, filter, flash, vertical grip, extra battery, and a bag. I am extremely cheap; I just wanted one lens and a body; but ended up with 3 lens and filters for them.

Now the real $$ is in this extra stuffs. Body might set you back $400. But good lens costs $200~$2000. Because Canon lens will only work with Canon body, once you put your foot into Canon/Nikon/Sony/Pentax, you're stuck with it.

So away from what camera is better and the other at present time, if I just look at the brand...

There are more Canon bodies than any other brands. Second is Nikon. Thus, Canon and Nikon has large selection of original and 3rd party lens and other accessories. Sony and Pentax have less to choose from. (But film lens for Pentax will work with Pentax, and old Konica/Minolta lens will work with Sony body.)

Sony/Pentax has fewer lenses, but they have in-body SR/VR/VC/IS/whatever. When you consider Lens with SR/VR/IS costs extra $200-500, buying Sony/Pentax save you a lot of money. But when you think about long run, Canon/Nikon might be better choice. They might eventually come out with in-body SR/VR/IS.

DSLR = Money Pit

Lenses, Filters, Memory, Flash, Bag, Tripod, Software, Accessories (diffuser, cleaner, remote...)

I have a high-end DSLR. It is a great hobby. But the $$$ involved =

Another note on the Sony D-SLR's, is that these bodies can use the Minolta Maxxum lense and most other of brand lenses that were made fot the Minolta Maxxum cameras. So, there are quite a few lenses out there that you can pick up new and used.

Can I trade in my Mavica? It cost me $900.

I'll throw in a box of 1.44 floppy disks to sweeten the deal.

While it is true Canon and Nikon have many lenses, unless you are a top pro or have super specialized needs, this is meaningless as most of those additional lenses cost thousands of dollars and are not used day to day.
Minolta, Konica-Minolta, and Sony (all use the Alpha mount) all made and make plenty of lenses and Sony is releasing updated lenses. Some of the Minoltas and KM lenses are excellent. Sony also makes Zeiss designed lenses which are excellent and the "G" line of pro lenses. But, again, if you are starting off, none of this should be an issue for any brand. There is plenty to pick from all.
Also, Sigma, Tamron, etc, all make Alpha mount lenses and are often better and usually cheaper than the camera brand you own (any brand).
Film SLR camras once were sold with a single 50mm lens (35mm equivalent) and for 90% of the pictures any beginner took, this was excellent. Most people only ever had a 50mm. Maybe they also bought an 80-200 zoom and a 28 wide angle or macro lens if you like small things. So if you get one now with a 18-80 you can do a lot with that for months or years. Maybe one day, pick up a bigger zoom if you even need that. (Most photojournalists use a "wide" zoom like a 16-20+ for most shots and maybe have a longer zoom. That would be the most used 95% of the time.)
It is true, if you get into SLR photography, you will spend more money than a point and shoot on loads of stuff you may or may not need and it is all pricy from any brand except some third party brands.
For most consumers, a nice Canon or Sony point and shoot with anti shake and a good built in lens for $200-400 is a fine pick.