I slightly prefer AMD... but as many people have said, I would try to get whatever processor fits my needs and budget the best. Intel has the performance crown certainly for anything bleeding edge, but I am building on a low budget so those processors don't have an impact on me until they become cheaper. With either company I would have plenty of room to upgrade as prices drop; both companies will be bringing out new technology in the time before I would upgrade. That is the ramblings of this newbie anyway.
TherealChessnut