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[Treefingers]

Going optical-less on a PC isn't as big a deal. You don't feel as trapped in Microsoft's ecosystem to begin with.

What the fuck are you talking about dude. What ecosystem are Mac users trapped in?

 

[loosus]

You're being ridiculous. OS X does not require you to make purchases from Apple. There are just as many alternative options as on PC. People buy content from Apple because they have a good experience, and trust them as a vendor.

And because you're essentially trapped. Yeah, you can get around Apple, but it's become almost as much like the iPad short of being one.

 

[George Claw M.D.]

The only reason I got an optical drive with my laptop, was because "no drive" was not an option. As soon as it was delivered, I replaced the optical drive with an aftermarket HDD caddy for a secondary storage HDD. I have an external burner for the 5 times a year that I actually use it, and that doesn't even include installing Windows, since I do that from a USB key.

 

[speculawyer]

Meh. It is just an annoyance for them in the quest to make their systems so thin that you can slice bread with them. And the power consumption of a rotating drive.


But Blu-Ray disks pack a lot of bits onto a really cheap physical medium. It remains quite relevant.

 

[Technosteve]

The only time i can think of having a cd drive is that boot disks are easier to make then boot usb drives.

 

[Treefingers]

And because you're essentially trapped. Yeah, you can get around Apple, but it's become almost as much like the iPad short of being one.

You're talking out of your ass

 

[Marty Chinn]

And because you're essentially trapped. Yeah, you can get around Apple, but it's become almost as much like the iPad short of being one.

How is that any different than say buying Visual Studio from Microsoft? It'll only run in Windows. It won't run on Linux, OSX, Android, iOS, BeOS....

 

[Koodo]

Thank Buddha. I only ever use the optical drive to rip out physical albums and that's about it. Obviously, then, I only use the drive on one computer since once the album is in digital form, I can sync it to all the other computers without needing the disc.

Don't Rest In Peace optical drive, you're a minor obstacle towards the digital future.

 

[loosus]

How is that any different than say buying Visual Studio from Microsoft? It'll only run in Windows. It won't run on Linux, OSX, Android, iOS, BeOS....

Don't understand that comparison at all. You're comparing Mac OS to Visual Studio? Really?

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Fine, don't ship them in the computers. But at least write some quick and dirty BRD playback software and sell third party external drives on your online store.

 

[Phobophile]

I honestly use my Superdrive only for ripping/backing up onto hard drives. Last time I used it for software installation was for Snow Leopard two years ago.

 

[Nazgul_Hunter]

But it still makes sense for their desktops to have it. That's the point the article keeps talking about.

Is it that crazy to think that the Mac mini will be closer to the size of the current AppleTV than the current Mac mini within a few years? I think not.

It didn't "make sense" for the original iMac to not have a floppy drive but in a way it led the charge in the demise of it

 

[Marty Chinn]

Don't understand that comparison at all. You're comparing Mac OS to Visual Studio? Really?

I'm talking about software. How does the lack of an optical drive somehow change what software you own and how you can only run it on the one OS anyway? What are you getting at with the ecosystem if you're not talking about software and being stuck to one platform?

 

[saunderez]

Until flash drives are as cheap as blu-ray media optical will never die.

For me it's just another reason for me NOT to buy a Mac. Having to buy something extra that all other vendors include as standard might be the Apple way, but screw that.

 

[Treefingers]

@loosus have you ever used OS X? Because there is no ecosystem that anyone is trapped in.

 

[outunderthestars]

I like how many people in this thread say they don't care, but then admit to using their optical drives to rip movies and music. What about new movies and albums?

There is still no DRM free movie store, nor a music store that has a good selection of lossless music.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Going optical-less on a PC isn't as big a deal. You don't feel as trapped in Microsoft's ecosystem to begin with.

Let me clarify

I have a mac, have for the last 8 years. I haven't used an optical disc in my Mac since maybe 2006 or so? Installed Lion from the hard drive, Snow Leopard from a USB drive, Leopard from my iPod (have gotten comped upgrades from my office for each). I think I installed Tiger from a disc, but that would have been on the iBook. My Dad burnt me a CD of photos maybe around 2007 or 2008 but I think I ended up getting him to email them to me or give me a USB stick a little later.

 

[NekoFever]

Optical drives are even less useful now than floppy drives were when Apple phased them out. There are numerous options for portable USB storage that are much bigger and faster than discs.

I realised the other day that when I burned a Lion boot DVD, that was the first time I'd used my MacBook Pro's disc drive since I bought it in March. For very occasional use like that and the odd CD or DVD rip I'd be more than happy to keep a USB drive in my drawer for the savings in size and weight that would benefit me all the time.

 

[Davidion]

For a second this thread was going so peacefully...

I will miss the ability to rip my CDs, but I have an old drive that I can plug in anywhere, really. I don't see why it'd be an issue for anyone who knows what they're doing with a computer.

 

[JordanLMiller]

Good riddance.

 

[SUPREME1]

Apple building a beautiful digital prison.


Look how beautiful it is.

 

[badcrumble]

I like how many people in this thread say they don't care, but then admit to using their optical drives to rip movies and music. What about new movies and albums?

There is still no DRM free movie store, nor a music store that has a good selection of lossless music.

It's not like Apple will stop selling an external optical drive anytime soon (and yes, hopefully it'll be transitioned over to BRD at some point). Attach it when you need to rip stuff, put it in storage the other 99.9% of the time when you don't.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I like how many people in this thread say they don't care, but then admit to using their optical drives to rip movies and music. What about new movies and albums?

An external optical drive that you plug-in for the job. Although I have ripped 100% of my current CDs and the last one I bought retail as opposed to online was maybe Tool's 10,000 days so I really only think it'll be an issue for movies.

There is still no DRM free movie store, nor a music store that has a good selection of lossless music.

iTunes is DRM-free, although not lossless. I just go with high quality lossy since I don't have magic ears.

 

[badcrumble]

iTunes is DRM-free, although not lossless. I just go with high quality lossy since I don't have magic ears.

IIRC, the movies on iTunes still have DRM.

 

[Stumpokapow]

IIRC, the movies on iTunes still have DRM.

Not if you run a DRM stripper, which is a lossless process and near-instant.

The only "movies" I've purchased on iTunes have been a handful of Paley Center for Media TV shows, which I promptly de-DRMed. Of course they weren't available in Canada so I also had to create a bunkum US iTunes account and get a friend to buy me a US gift card, but that's besides the point

 

[mclaren777]

What if everything in Apple's line lost the optical drive?

My wife would stop buying Apple computers.

Apple users are used to getting less for their money.

 

[Marty Chinn]

I like how many people in this thread say they don't care, but then admit to using their optical drives to rip movies and music. What about new movies and albums?

There is still no DRM free movie store, nor a music store that has a good selection of lossless music.

I think the point is, say you have like 3 or 4 computers around the house. Only one of them should really need the optical drive while you can deal without on the rest. Best to pay for one optical drive than have them in all the computers.

Optical drives are even less useful now than floppy drives were when Apple phased them out. There are numerous options for portable USB storage that are much bigger and faster than discs.

I realised the other day that when I burned a Lion boot DVD, that was the first time I'd used my MacBook Pro's disc drive since I bought it in March. For very occasional use like that and the odd CD or DVD rip I'd be more than happy to keep a USB drive in my drawer for the savings in size and weight that would benefit me all the time.

I disagree that they're less useful because of the one huge advantage they have; they're disposable. People don't view flash media as disposable but a DVD or CD is especially when it costs pennies. So optical media still has that advantage that can't be beat. 4 -8 gigs of storage for a couple pennies that you could give two shits about spending to give someone a disc full of data such as photos or even home videos.

 

[Chittagong]

not going to miss it. my 1st gen MacBook Air superdrive is still shrink wrapped.

Movies? Games? Apps? OS? Music? All digitally distributed. Much easier to manage inventory, much easier to move house.

I hope and predict games consoles will follow soon enough.

 

[Tobor]

A better designed computer is not less for my money.

 

[Stumpokapow]

My wife would stop buying Apple computers.

Ask your wife right now if she'd stop buying Apple computers if they offered her a $100 discount in exchange for dropping the optical drive and allowed her to buy a $29.99--not sure if this is mac compatible, so we'll go with $38.99 external drive (or, hell, make it the full $80 Apple flim flam drive) instead, which was exactly the same in terms of functionality besides being external

I hope and predict games consoles will follow soon enough.

http://www.steampowered.com
http://www.gog.com
http://www.gamersgate.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_App_Store

looks like that's already happened, unless you limit consoles to be the three very specific set-top boxes that Nintendo, MS (~80% of top 100 games in terms of scores and/or sales are available digitally on their service, btw), and Sony offer

 

[Dennis]

I hope and predict games consoles will follow soon enough.

They will die sooner

 

[jts]

Macs can even very easily access a shared optical drive from another Mac or PC. You don't even have to get an external.

This move is a no-brainer. I'll probably do it myself in a couple of months (replace the optical for a 2nd HDD).

 

[outunderthestars]

Not if you run a DRM stripper, which is a lossless process and near-instant.

The only "movies" I've purchased on iTunes have been a handful of Paley Center for Media TV shows, which I promptly de-DRMed. Of course they weren't available in Canada so I also had to create a bunkum US iTunes account and get a friend to buy me a US gift card, but that's besides the point

Isn't it technically illegal to strip DRM from files?

 

[BlueTsunami]

Removing them from larger desktops and towers? is a bit suspect. A tower without an optical drive would look like some sort alien from a pure digitally downloaded content future. At least this will take away the need for metal flaps that only exist to hide said optical drives. This'll just take them one step closer to creating a nondescript pylon with a giant Apple logo that takes you to Apple town.

 

[Marty Chinn]

Not if you run a DRM stripper, which is a lossless process and near-instant.

Oh, which app is this? I've got a bunch of digital copies that came with BRs that I'd love to just strip the DRM from so I don't have to worry about their portability.

 

[Treefingers]

Isn't it technically illegal to strip DRM from files?

Yes it is.

 

[Marty Chinn]

Ask your wife right now if she'd stop buying Apple computers if they offered her a $100 discount in exchange for dropping the optical drive and allowed her to buy a....

Hahaha, who are we kidding? Apple won't do that and they'll pocket the savings. That's the realistic scenario here.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Isn't it technically illegal to strip DRM from files?

1) not where i live
2) who gives a shit

Hahaha, who are we kidding? Apple won't do that and they'll pocket the savings. That's the realistic scenario here.

they literally just did it on the mac mini.

it's in the OP.

 

[mclaren777]

Ask your wife right now if she'd stop buying Apple computers if they offered her a $100 discount in exchange for dropping the optical drive and allowed her to buy a external drive.

She's not interested in an external drive. She watches DVDs on her MBP roughly 2-3 times per week in various locations so not having an optical drive would be a big deal to her.

 

[Dennis]

1) not where i live
2) who gives a shit

Can I have your mod job when you get arrested?

 

[Koodo]

Apple building a beautiful digital prison.


Look how beautiful it is.

Hey, at least it's just a prison of digital purchases instead of the Orwellian future Google is trying to achieve.

 

[eastmen]

Optical is here to stay for another decade at least , a 10x bluray burner is $100 and blank 25GB discs are only $1 . I can't get 25 gig thumb drives for that price and wont be able to for a long time considering 16 gigs is still at $15 bucks to $30 bucks depending on the brand and speed.

 

[jts]

She's not interested in an external drive. She watches DVDs on her MBP roughly 2-3 times per week in various locations so not having an optical drive would be a big deal to her.

Start ripping some movies for her, man. Having to carry DVD boxes or something around to watch movies is not cool.

 

[Dennis]

Optical is here to stay for another decade at least

In the sense that you will be able to buy an external optical drive, sure.

But as standard on PCs/Macs? No.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Oh, which app is this? I've got a bunch of digital copies that came with BRs that I'd love to just strip the DRM from so I don't have to worry about their portability.

Requiem for stripping iTunes DRM.

The website is only hosted through Tor:
http://tag3ulp55xczs3pn.onion/

Here's a mirror (it's possible you live in a jurisdiction where doing this is illegal if so sue yourself or something), 1.5 MB, includes Windows and Mac versions:
http://www.mediafire.com/?d4dakyc6zik4x6x

The current DRM stripping technique also requires an iOS device. It seems a little stupid at first but of how counterintuitive it is to use a mobile device to rip DRM on a file from your desktop device, but it's very quick and easy once you read the readme.

 

[outunderthestars]

Requiem for stripping iTunes DRM.

The website is only hosted through Tor:
http://tag3ulp55xczs3pn.onion/

Here's a mirror (it's possible you live in a jurisdiction where doing this is illegal if so sue yourself or something), 1.5 MB, includes Windows and Mac versions:
http://www.mediafire.com/?d4dakyc6zik4x6x

The current DRM stripping technique also requires an iOS device. It seems a little stupid at first but of how counterintuitive it is to use a mobile device to rip DRM on a file from your desktop device, but it's very quick and easy once you read the readme.

This all sounds much better than buyer a disc for 40% less and ripping it......

 

[Tobor]

Hahaha, who are we kidding? Apple won't do that and they'll pocket the savings. That's the realistic scenario here.

It just happened. They bumped the specs, removed the optical drive, and the base price on the Mini dropped $100.

 

[dream]

While we're at it, wtf is with digital copies that come with Blurays expiring?

 

[Marty Chinn]

they literally just did it on the mac mini.

it's in the OP.

I stand corrected. I didn't realize the Mini got a price drop. Pretty surprising move for Apple given that they're known for trying to maximize their margins. Doesn't this sorta make up for the fact that the Mini got a price hike though at one point?

 

[Stumpokapow]

This all sounds much better than buyer a disc for 40% less and ripping it......

Err, I didn't recommend buying movies on iTunes. I don't buy movies on iTunes. You said there wasn't a DRM-free digital movie store, and I'm pointing out that the world's largest digital movie store is DRM-free if you run a simple, lossless, once-over pass on the files. You're right, buying cheap retail DVDs is cheaper than buying on iTunes. That's why I do it. I wasn't answering the point you didn't make in your original post, I was answering the point you did make in your original post.