Bottom line here: Some of us would rather work on a computer than in a darkroom. I'm one of them. I sincerely hope that both film and digital prosper for many years because I know the pleasure of pursing a favorite pastime. There will always be a certain satisfaction of using film and making prints, just as there is a certain satisfaction to painting or sculpture or any sort of art. I, however, have moved almost completely to digital, and since I'm happy with the process and the results, no argument will move me back.
I really don't think either film or digital users should have to defend themselves (at least for the amateurs) since by definition you should use what you WANT to use. As for the pros, the market is the market and argument has little effect there either. I have noticed a change, however. Most of the newer articles on this issue are defending film rather than pushing digital. From a purely observational viewpoint, this is a paradigm shift. The discussion now is what will the film market look like in a digitally dominated world. To me, we are having an interesting discussion about the philosophy of photography, but this has very little influence on what is happening. Every form of photography is a compromise, and the only real issue is what you can live with. In most cases, it comes down to little more than "I like this better".
