If both models seem like they might meet your needs, then go for the Intel one for sure!
Looking at a forum about any product (Macs in this case) you'd think there were FAR more problems than there really are. That's because it's human nature to seek solutions (or simply vent) when you have a problem. There's no incentive to post a topic "My Mac still works great!"
Don't let the squeaky wheel syndrome worry you: most Macs, even rev A's, are just great.
At the same time, a revision A of ANY product, from ANY manufacturer will have a higher failure rate than a later model that has the benefit of heavy public testing. So it's no myth when people say waiting for a rev B is better. Waiting DOES improve your odds of a flawless machine. It's just that rev A's aren't actually bad either.
Consider also that Apple has the lowest desktop failure rate in the industry. I'd much rather have a rev A Mac than a rev A from any other company! The failure rate from ANY company is higher than I think it should be--but at least Apple's the best of the bunch.
Last but not least, the newest G5 iMacs were heavily redesigned--they're more than just a refinement of the old design. So in a sense, those G5s are like rev A's all over again.
In fact, for many components (not the CPU/motherboard) the Intel iMacs are like rev B's: they are based on the same iMac design as the new G5s.
In the end, you can NEVER be certain there won't be a failure or a faulty part--and that's what a warranty is for. You're protected that way, despite the inconvenience.
So if you can't be certain, all you can do is take your best guess about the most reliable model, try to judge just HOW much better it is, and weigh that against your needs and what the machine will DO for you.
I don't know if the Intel Macs will be more or less reliable than the G5s, but history tells us that EITHER choice will probably get you a reliable machine. So if it were me I'd get the more powerful model, using the next generation platform, which will serve you far into the future. Go with Intel unless you have an urgent short-term need for PowerPC-only applications.
(If you want to be just a little cautious, go ahead with a rev A Intel, but wait a few weeks to hear about any early problems or bad components. If Apple gets a bad batch of some component, they'll fix that ASAP rather than wait for the next big revision. So I like to avoid the VERY first units off the assembly line, even if it means a few weeks wait. It's all just playing the odds of course.)
But for my next Mac... I don't think I feel so lucky... I might go for the Care...
