i find that idea to be so strange. as a long time Nikon user, i love the fact that everything is right at your fingertips. i guess it's time for a flame war!
Well, as a Nikon fan, the feeling of things being strange and confusing should be quite familiar to you!
Haha, kidding of course... just couldn't resist. I think that Canon, and Nikon obviously both make perfectly awesome cameras and the differences between them / reasons from choosing one over the other really comes down to the preference / feelings of the user more than any virtues of either system.
Also, once you've mastered either system, trying to use the other will certainly feel starnge and confusing and like everything is in the wrong place.
Years ago I did a lot of photography and used lots of different 35mm film SLR's made by Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax, Rioch. But then, due to time and budget, I spent over a decade without anything more than a P&S of my own. When I was camera shopping, I walked into a big box retailer that had most of the Canon and Nikon models that I was considering and spent about an hour playing with all of them. Right off they bat, I noticed that the Canon bodies just fit my (very large) hands much better: grips where larger, button and dial layout seemed easier / more comfortable to reach and I was able to figures out all of the settings (both hardware/ button-driven and menu driven very quickly). Within 20 mins of picking up the 7D, I could easily adjust shutter, f-stop, iso, metering, af mode and matrix, and WB all without taking the camera more than a few inches from shooting position or changing grip... and it many cases without even taking my eye away from the viewfinder.
I originally planned on the 60d, but ended up taking the small step up in price to the 7D in order to get the benefit of the larger, more rugged, dust & weather-sealed, full metal chassis and improved AF. The flip-out screen on the 60D is nice in many ways, but it does come at the expense of durability and the sacrifice of button real-estate for the hinge. It's also not full-frame.
For glass I've got:
-a kit 18-135mm - which is actually not too bad if you've got enough light.
-the awesome Canon 50mm 1.4 (equivalent to 75mm on my aps-c sensor camera) - I think, It's is one of the only non L-lenses that has the L-like weather sealing.
-Canon 16-35mm f2.8L MK II USM (eq, 24mm-52mm) - my favorite lens, probably my favorite lens that I've ever used. The difference between L-series and "regular" lens is like the difference between a Shigefusa and a Forschner.
- I also have a macro extension ring with the pass-through connectors so the lens' AF still works, but it really makes the DOF very thin; I think my next glass purchase will be a good, used 100mm maco. Unless they either drop price on the 24-70mm f2.8L or they release an update first.