I think handouts are very useful -- and when I do them myself I photocopy
them on colored paper so they are easier to find later.  I think they're
especially useful for refreshing one's memory after the conference, and for
showing to other people who weren't there -- that you didn't just 'make up'
the wild things you are telling them, especially if the handout includes
references.

Also, if you've ever looked at the "notes" that people take from lectures (I
often look at student's notes when I am helping them figure out why they
failed an exam) you would see that there can be a huge gap between what you
said and what got written down.  I've seen entire 75 minute lectures reduced
to five statements in a student notebook, with the name of the famous
anthropologist written down incorrectly, and two similar sounding terms
mixed up, or the definition for one term written down next to another.  At
least the handout is correct!

Kathy D.