OK, so i've been hanging (lurking) around xda developers place. They have the shit happenen'. Custom roms for just about every phone, even the froyo phone, haha, just kidding. seriously, they have froyo roms for my phone, the vibrant, which is galaxy s without fm radio. some say the radio is there, just no drivers/firmware to run it.
Innocent, are you looking towards the i9000 galaxy s? If your linux tools are up to snuff, i would get it, flash it to yogurt, play with it. So far, NO ONE at xda has heard of a bricked phone. The galaxy s phones are beast. Bad flashes won't kill this phone. Over here, some carriers have a "test drive" time period. They will take the phone back, no questioned asked, no early termination fee, just gotta pay activation (and what you haved used, data wise). Small price to pay to play with the fastest, most beautiful phone on the planet.
Personally, my linux isn't up to par, i don't see a need to get yogurt, yet.