Your reasoning is valid, of course, but lack of webcam has been cited so many times already that it seems a glaring omission. The iPad seems to be geared for Internet users and video chat is now very popular. Given Apple's innovative approach many are disappointed with this obvious glitch in forward thinking.
Nah... that's overstating the importance of an expensive option which many will be glad
not to be forced to pay for. If the iPad later offers video chat, are you gonna rush out and pick one up? Or are you merely a disinterested agitator?
+ FWIW, i've been using personal computers at an increasingly geeky level since 1989 (though actually, i did learn some BASIC back in 11th grade... c.a., 1972), and i've never done any video chatting. The first thing i'll do with my (soon-to-be-released) MacBook Pro is put some opaque tape over that iSight camera lens.
If there was an option to pay less and have no camera, i would probably do so (depending on the cost savings).
Guess i never was much of a "Dick Tracy" fan. (edit: oops, that wasn't video... was it?)
