Hi MrEd and all forum members,
I believe that ear players have more versatility as they can wander from the main melody and improvise. Having said that, I am sure there are many sight readers who will disagree with me. As I said earlier, I am an ear only player and I can set a rhythm playing on my keyboard and then jam along with that rhythm making up a tune as I go. Its very easy as long as you remember the partnership between the melody and the chord. This can go on for as long as I like but I must be honest and say that the melody I start with is probably nothing like the one I finish with.
Hopefully we will hear from some sight players who will shoot me down in flames. I'm quite happy to be wrong. Although I believe the ear player has the advantage I would still love to read music. It must be fantastic to pick up a piece of paper with lots of lines and dots on it and make wonderful music with it.

Come on sight players, convince me I'm wrong

Let the battle commence
Alan