I was given a K1000 for my 18th birthday in 1986. Within 6 months it was stolen.
In the meantime I used my then-husband's camera, and eventually a digital P&S.
When I was finally ready for a DSLR (when my youngest, twins, would let me breathe for a minute), I saw an ad for the K100DS and I never looked back. Now I have a K20D and I just can't think of anything I need in a camera that it doesn't have.