I?m looking to purchase a digital camcorder. Ultimately I?d like some
camcorder manufacturers and model recommendations, but I also have
some questions I?d like answered along the way?

Although there will be times I will use the camcorder outside, many
times I will be using it inside, sometimes in the evening or night. I
want to download the footage to my PC, edit it, and burn DVDs or
possibly email clips. There will be times I?d like to operate the
camcorder remotely. Given this, I guess my highest priorities are:

Video light (preferably built-in)
Ability to download to PC & edit
Remote Control 

Some of the other features I?d like include:

Digital stabilization
Decent optical zoom (above 10x, the higher the better)
Color viewfinder
Audio recording & speaker
Rechargeable battery
Not too bulky, possibly miniDV format

I?m hoping there is something with these features in the range of $500
(or less), although I may have to spend more to get all the features I
want. Of course I?d also like to get the best quality video I can for
the money. I would feel comfortable with a brand such as Canon and
Sony, but they do not seem to have a built-in video light. Since I
plan on doing quite a bit of indoor recording, it seems as if a
built-in video light would be most convenient. I?ve seen JVC and
Panasonic have built-in video lights, but I?m wondering what the
quality of the video is like? Would I be sacrificing quality for
convenience? Would I be better off buying a brand such as Canon or
Sony and then buying a separate video light?

Along the lines of a video light:
How much do they cost?
Do they have their own battery, or do they use the camcorder battery?
For those that use the camcorder battery, how much do they drain the battery?
Are some types easier/more convenient to use than others, or are they
all basically the same?
How much does a video light cost?

I?ve heard about night recording capabilities, or low-light recording
capabilities, but don?t you loose the color with these modes? I?d like
to record indoors and in the evening/night without sacrificing too
much quality.

My other question is dealing with downloading video to my PC, editing,
and burning DVDs or creating email clips. What?s a recommended
camcorder interface for downloading to a PC? Is there special PC
hardware/software required, and if so how much does it cost?

Also, are there any other basic features I haven?t mentioned that come
highly recommended?

Can you please suggest some possible camcorder manufacturers with
model numbers that would satisfy my requirements? Thank you!

As someone who has done a lot of video recording (with mini DV, Hi-8
DV, VHS etc.) I would suggest ditching the built in camera light for a
couple of reasons...
1.  It saps the life out of the battery.  If you are filming under
mobile conditions it will drain the battery much more quickly.
2.  They generally aren't very bright.  They usually aren't much
brighter than a simple flashlight and won't make much of a difference
in the quality of your film.
Instead try using a piece of cardboard covered in aluminum foil (shiny
side out) to bounce as much light from your source onto the subject. 
This works astonishingly well.  If you are inside simply open window
shades, take of lampshades and arange lamps to make the most of the
general light in the room.

Filming in low light conditions you sacrifice the quality of your
film.  Some areas suffer 'blackout' or 'whiteout' and the whole film
will appear grainy.

Sluggirlrobyn, thanks for your comment