Dave
Miller is the brand absolutely every weld supply house in my area stocks. Most critics say Lincoln or Miller but there are other good brands also. Why not peruse their internet sites? I know Miller is millerwelds.com and it will describe various options and help match your needs to various machines. This will answer answer present questions but generate more from you; I am confident someone here will help answer them. The more specific questions are, the easier they are to answer. (the AWS home page should lead you to links to various companies as well)

Why is oxy-acetylene so unpopular? You can use its heat to bend, forge-weld (sometimes- lacking a forge), weld, braze, silver-solder, solder and even color the metal... and I didnt mention cut it as well. Plus, it needs no electrical supply, no UV protective gear, and permits lighter, cooler eye protection.

Regards
D