Shoutbox

The Gamecube is the best one imo.  I always liked Nintendo's games, and I still love them on the NGC.  Plus, it's THE party console (4 players), and it's a big plus (especially with games like Super Smash Bros Melee...).  It has a good controller (not too big, like the Dreamcast and the X-Box ones) and there is even a wireless model.  Oh, and I never heard that the Gamecube will be there for 8 years, unless they add some kind of expansions to the console.  In fact, I heard that they were already planning another console...
The PS2 is not bad, but it interests me a lot less than the PS1 did.  If I ever get one, it'll be only for the Final Fantasy games... I liked the PS1 mostly for its RPGs, but now the Gamecube has some decent ones (Phantasy Star Online, Skies of Arcadia...), well, the PS2 is a bit less appealing to me.  Plus, a lot of games that comes out for the PS2 are also coming out for the NGC.  But I must admit that the PS2 is a very good system but I don't like the fact that they already want to release a PS3 (which could happen in the next year or two, three years at the most...), since a lot of people bought a PS2 already and probably aren't interested in buying another console not even three years later...
The X-Box... the only thing that I find good in this console is the performance.  Apart from that, I must say that they don't have enough exclusive titles (compared to Nintendo and Sony's consoles)...  most of the games that are coming out for the X-Box console are also coming out for the NGC, the PS2 and PC.  Of course it has its good games too, but it's not enough to me.  However, the fact that Rare migrated to Micosoft's console may make me buy one, only because of Perfect Dark...lol
In the end, all three consoles are worth trying, but I prefer the NGC, maybe only because I like the Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda games (and no, I'm not some 8 years-old kid, I'm actually 18 and I've been playing games since I was 2).  I actually like its design too, and since I have a GBA, the connectivity between both consoles interests me.  I'll probably end up with the 3 consoles, but for now I'll stick with the NGC...  I think that the three consoles has its advantages, and that choosing one is a matter of taste...  actually, someone I know prefer the Dreamcast...lol