I was in GAME yesterday and next to $90 copies of The Witcher 2 I saw $8 copies of The Witcher. 

I figured at that price it was worth picking up and checking out.  So what's the word, am I going to like it enough to go straight onto the sequel?
Any good hints and tips as I progress through the game? (please no spoilers).

I tried it a few weeks ago and I did not like its style and combat so I only played a until the first village.
But give it a try you may love it.

depends how much you like fetch quests...

Oh great, I may have an eight dollar bomb on my hands

starcraft said: Oh great, I may have an eight dollar bomb on my hands

Don't get me wrong it is a great game but large parts of it are kinda boring series of fetch quests, but it is a very rewording game by the end if you grind your way through. 

One very important tip is to make sure that you have the latest patch installed

Parts of it are very good indeed. The number of side quests is quite impressive, especially next to its sequel, but they do tend to be fetch quests.

On the whole, Witcher 2 is a better game, but the original is still solid. Much longer, for one.

Hated the combat system. Also had some other flaws, but maybe they were only tied to the first part of the game, so I'm not going to comment on them any further.
I only know that I'm skipping it and going to get  The Witcher 2 right away.

Fire spell > All.  That thing will be your bread and butter attack spell.

Quick save before any escort mission and critical conversations.  Screw ups are permanent.

Fighting style and sword selection are very important.  If you're facing a quick style enemy, do NOT use heavy attacks, and vice versa.  In groups, I pretty much always use group style as it not only hits all of them, but it keeps them from all attacking thanks to flinching.

I just started playing it myself and its a pretty fun game....not amazing but still a fun timewaster.

Its good but with flaws