Real media on the computer is better because..

Your hands don't get dirty.

No mess for you to clean up

**** UNDO ****

**** UNDO ****

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(sorry, got carried away)

Less intimidating and more approachable because media can be re-used and mistakes and accidents can be undone.

You can have a teeny weeny eraser, as small and sharp-pointed as a pencil.

"Dial-a-hardness" pencils.

You can have a black, a white, a red, and a blue pencil that all draw, smudge, and erase exactly the same.

Access to many different kinds of media.

Easier to experiment.

Dries right away.

Doesn't get accidentally smudged.

Can't wear out media by repeated reworking or erasing.

You can zoom to higher magnification for working on fine detail.

Easier to fix, adjust, and change things.

Media gets cheaper as the technology gets cheaper.

Media gets better/faster as the technology improves.

Media evolves to remove limitations.

Media can be made to violate physical laws that bind real media.

Media can exhibit idealized behavior.

Perfect masking and friskets.

Doesn't drip or run (unless you want it to).

Doesn't deteriorate, warp, fade, crack, peel, discolor or turn yellow.

Can be transferred easily to another place.

Can be scaled and resized.

Can be viewed and distributed by computer without first having to be digitized.

Brush strokes can be recorded in one medium and played back in another.

Easier to explore -- you can take the same piece of work down several paths.

You can make variations of the same work.

You can make as many copies as you need.

You'll never run out of paint, canvas, or materials -- just disk space.

You can vary color, tonal range or contrast at will.

A copy can be stored elsewhere for safekeeping.

You can create a new medium or modify characteristics of an existing medium to suit your requirements.

Easier to do 'special effects' (this may not actually be a feature).

And...

You can go to the computer store and hang out with the nerds.

Your work will be seen on web sites.

Your work will be displayed against a heavily textured or weirdly colored background.

Wired Magazine will write about you.