The huge drop in prices allowed plenty of people to get one even if they needed a point and shoot, just because they could look more 'professional' (aka those only using automatic mode).
But there are just too many cases where DSLR are superior because of its manual mode (shutter speed, adaptability, wide-angle, ...)
look more 'professional' (aka those only using automatic mode)
A DSLR usually means a larger, bigger sensor, better accessories, and better/selectable lenses. Using manual modes is a trivial, side value of SLRs (actually not even sure why it is mentioned given that every "P&S" I've had in the past decade has had full manual control as well), but in no way is a requirement to yield value from them.
As a sidenote, one of the burdens of carrying a decent camera -- for those moments that only happen once -- is that someone often makes a snarky quip about being a professional.
