Is unconventional becoming more conventional?

There has been a lot of hoopla in the media lately about self-pubbing and/or using bookseller sites (B&N and Amazon for example) to self pub your manuscript as an e-book.  I used to hear a lot about that being "the slacker way" or the "way of the bad writer" but I am finding myself increasingly convinced that it is the only way to publish anymore.  I mean, I have to admit that I have been assessing things myself lately and decided to start up my romance novel (and eventual series) as an e-book and skip over the hoopla of finding an agent.  So, here is my current list of pros and cons, feel free to chime in an add your own pros/cons if it strikes you.

Pros
- Money (I mean, let's face it, highly inexpensive to upload and even if a handful of family and friends buy them you just made more than if you were still waiting to be picked up by an agent.)
- Full editorial discretion (you don't have to change a character's name, you can select your own book cover)
- No need to query (does anybody enjoy the waiting game to say nothing of cramming your whole concept into a query letter)
- No middle man

Cons
- Miss the thrill of actually being accepted by an agent and/or publishing house
- Miss out on the experience/expertise of agent/publishing house

I admit being very new to this field but I have been researching this extensively and received a lot of good feedback (and bad if I am being honest) from forums and chat rooms.  The decision to self-pub the romance novel/series was not easy but a good friend made a great point when she said that even if I mark it at $1.99 each and collect 80 cents for each one, if I sell 50 I just made $40 that I didn't have before AND people are reading my book(s).  Point taken. 

As my title suggests, it seems to me that self-pubbing is no longer the unconventional way to publish.  I just want to see my book in print and even if I sell two copies (my mom and my sister, duh!) I will have SOLD A BOOK.  Isn't that what it is all about?

Look for RYDER ON THE STORM within the next few weeks.