Should I buy an acoustic or electric guitar ?

This is a question I keep getting asked by a number of first-time-buyers. Hence, I thought it would be a good idea to share my personal views on this and hope it helps others in taking a decision that suits them.
It's in the early stages that we're learning the very basics starting from holding a guitar to practising hour after hour to get our fingers trained. Just imagine if you're doing it on an electric. You not only need to plug it in into an amp but also have to contend with the noises produced by you touching other strings accidently. Not to mention the initial upfront investment you would need to make. Even if you do so, its' quite possible that in the best case scenario where you do become an awesome player (I believe in being optimistic!), you are more than likely to end up after a year or so, wanting to get a better guitar!
I could go on in this vein, but I hope you are by now getting the prespective I subscribe to. However, for the die hard sort of fan of electrics ... maybe you could consider an electric-acoustic solution. And who knows, even if you decide to invest in a true-blood electric guitar, you may end up keeping the acoustic one as well. End of the day, it's your call! Bottom line is to think of what is good for you rather than doing what a friend or neighbour did :) Most people like to listen to what you are playing rather than taking pictures of you posing with an expensive instrument!
Caution: This does not mean that you should buy the cheapest brand in town and end up with something that is difficult to play or maintain.
Cheers,
Ravi