I too am like the woman behind the bar. I think the device is more conducive to impulse purchases. You don't feel like you're buying as big an item as you would if the book were physically solid, the purchase is quicker, there's less to show a significant other if you're prey to spending guilt, and there's nothing visible to haunt you if you never get round to reading it.

So maybe - just maybe - the e-world will be less unfriendly to authors than might be feared.