Smudge

Hello:
I currently have Win XP Pro on my laptop. I am now in the market for a new laptop for a number of reasons, none of which has anything to do with the birth of Vista. I have read a little about Vista, however most of it did not sound too impressive. I have also spoken to people who say that there are several flaws with the new operating system. Furthermore, I believe either itunes or my Palm software is not compatible with Vista.
So, based on the little knowledge that I have of the operating system should I get Vista? And if not, how do I not get Vista???? All of the machines that I have seen online (Best Buy and Circuit City) all have Vista preloaded. And, I need to buy from either Best Buy or Circuit City as those are the places where my employer will give me a huge break. Building my own system is out of the question here. Thanks for any input.