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I happen to think PDF is a legitimnate format for ebooks. having said that, I think, based on the messages posted, the determining factor for one's opinion is whether one is focusing on the technical problems that PDFs currently have for viewing on readers or one is focusing on the look of the final product (the "beauty show part") and assuming that the question is asked on the assumption that there are no technical problems with PDFs.
I spend all day, most days, reading author manuscripts in MS Word. Every author -- and every reader (person) -- tries to gussie up the text with different font sizes, indentation, etc. Why? Because it makes the manuscript more readable and, more importantly, understandable.
When we read we rely on visual cues to tell us whether something is important, an aside, a new chapter, etc. All PDF does is capture the author/publisher's vision of what cues are necessary/needed to enhance the consumer's understanding and to project the author's message.
I agree that right now from a technical perspective PDFs are not a good format choice. But is it a desirable choice if the technical problems are surmounted? I think so. I'll also grant that the newest Robin Hobb novel, being only text, is unlikely to be enhanced by using PDF. Conversely, however, PDF won't harm it.
So I guess in the end I'm back to where I started: Whether PDF is good or bad simply depends on whether you are looking at the current technical problems and ignoring the end product or you are looking at the end product and ignoring the current technical problems -- is the glass half-full or half-empty.
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