There are clearly differences between paper books and e-books. You acquire them differently, hold them and store them differently, and have a different experience when you read. But I see advantages in both directions.
Personally, I find it highly preferable to use a nice electronic gadget for almost any purpose. When I was still using punch cards and teletype machines, I was fascinated with video terminals to the point that I would have enjoyed one, even if it could do nothing more than type letters onto the screen, even without any useful functionality like storing a document or editing it. Just like it was exciting for a time to see yourself on a TV screen whether it was a new fangled home video camera or because a TV station filmed you for something. You probably have to remember the days before some of this technology to be able to relate to those feelings.
And when I first got a PDA, I would work very hard to use it because it was fun to use. Even if paper was better than those first PDAs in almost every way.
When I first started reading e-books, it was on one of those early Palm PDAs. Low resolution, tiny screen, not great fonts or contrast, and no color. But I loved it. I escaped the dusty paper smell that annoys me. I escaped the space it takes to store paper books. And it was fun acquiring a book via computer instantly instead of at a store.
E-books are responsible for renewing my interest in reading, and better devices will increase that enjoyment more and more. I like having control over font type and size. I like the small size of the readers. But even so, by my taste many technical books are still better in paper form. That's okay, just like it's okay if someone can immerse themselves in paper books better than e-books. That doesn't at all reduce my ability to enjoy e-books on a cool electronic gadget.
I enjoy just holding nice technology gadgets in my hand and it makes me feel good to be looking at the screen. I probably still feel some of that early amazement that such a thing is even possible. When devices are more responsive and have better displays and form factors, it will feel even better.
But there are also people that find holding paper books to be a satisfying thing as well. Just as people love to "get into nature" or go low-tech in order to relax. People find fireplaces or sitting by the beach or waterfalls to be aesthetically pleasing. Why not paper books as well? People like nice fancy notebooks or pens because they feel good. And the emotional joy I find with things electronic may not be so different than the joy others feel due to the feelings associated with paper books, as well as all the memories of times past, and memories of great books read that way. More power to them.
I suppose that people on either side of the fence can probably be justified in saying that "There's just no accounting for taste!"
