I used 35mm SLRs since the late 80's when I bought my first decent camera at 18. I switched to digital in 2004 when I got a compact bridge camera, a Minolta DiMage Z2, and subsequently got a DSLR because I felt a DSLR would offer more quality and more flexibility - which it does.
However, the learning curve is very steep, especially with post processing which I am not very good at. Post-processing is quite frustrating at times, especially when sharpening and reducing noise, but even in the actual picture taking process annoyances crop up: you might get a load of good pics in one session and think you've got the whole thing licked and you're cooking on gas, when in another sesh you dont get a single decent pic. It is frustrating, but it's also fun and rewarding.
My learning curve was made steeper, somewhat, by switching from one system to another (Nikon to Canon) a few months ago, but the principles of photography don't change, just the buttons being in different places.
Equipment doesn't make a good photographer, the photographer him or her self does, but getting the best you can afford definitely makes things easier.