but I have nothing to practice on. Is it as easy as everybody claims it is? Should I just jump right in and give it a try on my car, or should I search for a victim?
Yeah, go ahead. I wouldn't worry too much about messing up with a PC, I've never done damage with one. I probably could if I made a REAL effort of it, but honestly it'd be easier to damage paint by hand than with a 6" pad and PC. Go for it, as long as you don't get sand on the pads or something, you'll be fine .
Give it a go on your new car. If you start with a mild polish and light polishing pad, you have little to fear. After you get the hang of it, you can step up to a more aggressive polish/pad combo if needed.