My experience is similar to InsideOut... never managed to maintain the kind of fingernails that would work for playing guitar. I use the pads of my fingers too - creates quite a soft sound, very nice for a lot of styles (bossa nova picking's an example) - you can often use the fingers alternately to strum two or three strings at once. The angle of attack will naturally be different than with finger nails - rather than clawing up under the string, you kind of "bounce" onto it with the fingers a bit straighter, similar to how electric bass players do it.
As with the fretting hand, may take the tips a couple of weeks to toughen up, but it's a pleasing sound and makes you feel very close to the guitar. I also like using a pick, perhaps because that gets the wrist so involved which also feels good. But quite agree, the most sterile and distant guitar playing experience I had was with a full set of finger picks on!!