CD/DVD Drive. Who Needs it?

[fletch33]

i have owned a few of the many netbooks out there and did not miss having a cd/dvd drive at all. in fact it made me realize that i have made the jump from records then to tapes then on to cd's and now it is all either on my iPhone or some other digital form.

this is also true with my movies. i went from video disc to vhs then onto dvd and now again it is all digital. i ripped my entire dvd collection some time ago and am free of a mass of dvd cases all over the place trying to figure where to put them all.

my car is no different. i am either listening to my iPhone/iPod or occasional talk radio and could care less if there wasn't a cd player. i probably haven't used it 10 times on the last couple years.

also i get all my software from downloading. the last disc i used was more than a year ago when i installed Leopard on my older macbook and if i had to then i could use other methods.

i feel that whole area could be used for more battery space or a second HDD.

so am i alone? or is a cd/dvd drive still a must have for you?

 

[miles01110]

I find I use mine less and less, but until operating systems start shipping on flash drives it's a must-have.

 

[Nethfel]

I voted it's a must at this point. But, let me clarify why:

1) I do have software that is on cd/dvd and not downloadable.
2) I play some games that require cd/dvd in the drive
3) As mentioned by miles01110, OS' are still shipped on disc media
4) I like to watch movies on both my desktop and laptop
5) Sometimes I might be somewhere where I need to burn a disc
6) In there area that I currently work (geographical) and the industry (education), many times I find that people are bringing stuff on cd/dvd or need something checked on a cd/dvd. Although I'm trying to push people who are using cd/dvd media to use flash drives, they haven't all switched, and some just haven't understood the serious cost savings of using a flash drive rather then buying a ton of disc media.
7) Not everyone has their flash drive with them at all times (although, thank goodness, this is beginning to change) so having other options to store data is a good thing.

Now - would I prefer a comp without a laptop - yes - especially a laptop because:

1) Lower power usage. Even if the drive isn't spinning, it does consume some power just sitting there.
2) It wastes time at startup while it is checked if it contains a disc or not (and also wastes more power during that period)
3) One less thing to worry about breaking (considering that moving parts based devices tend to break/wear out faster than non-moving parts)
4) Less extra stuff to carry (CD/DVD's, whether programs or blank media - assuming the programs didn't require the media in the drive to operate)

If I could legally take my movies as iso's, the games I liked to play didn't require discs, and as long as I had an external cd/dvd at home to do an install, I'd probably be ok with no dvd/cd drive at this time although I would run into some tough spots here and there.

I should note - although I don't currently have a Mac laptop, we do have a dell xps m1210 at home that is my wifes that I use on occasion since I sold my gaming laptop. At work I either use our M1210 (usually when I have to record a graduation, I use the laptop as my recording device) or a Dell latitude that belongs to the school.

 

[fletch33]

there are other ways to install an OS. you could use a shared drive from another mac, an image file on an iPod etc...

to have all that space used for the possibility of an OS install seems a little silly when there are alternative ways.

in now ay trying to start an argument about it but was just thinking that if it is only needed to you for OS installation then my guess is if you didn't have one you would figure it out.

 

[kahlil88]

As someone who fixes computers for a living and loves to tinker with different operating systems, a CD/DVD drive is a MUST, but I long for the day when we can dump optical disc technology completely. I'm so sick of losing data because the medium it's stored on is delicate and dependent on very precise mechanical bits. I welcome the flash revolution with open arms and could care less if I ever own a BluRay movie or player.

 

[fletch33]

I welcome the flash revolution with open arms and could care less if I ever own a BluRay movie or player.

110% agree. i see posts all the time that make references like "i hope apple brings BlueRay support in their next update" and i think why?

i think if apple was going to do this they would have done it already.

 

[Nethfel]

110% agree. i see posts all the time that make references like "i hope apple brings BlueRay support in their next update" and i think why?

i think if apple was going to do this they would have done it already.

Well - some of us do enjoy bluray - and although bluray discs and drives aren't important to everyone, they are important to some. I have several bluray movies, and it would be nice at times to have them on my computer.

I don't think it's vital for a laptop, but it can be important for a desktop depending on the user.

I know I would like it for the burning capacity also, 'cause if I have to move 30 gigs worth of video split between 3 files (I edit video on occasion, and source material can easily be 10-15 gigs in SD in the lengths I need), lugging around a HD or considering that flash drives aren't large enough yet (at least at a reasonable cost for the size), having bluray would be nice.

I'm not saying it's the end all - be all, but everyone needs are different, and support for technology is important. Not everyone has cable or dsl (I know I wouldn't want to download a HD movie on a 56K dialup), and if they want to watch hd movies on their computer, they're limited to buying or renting bluray (netflix rents bluray discs).

And for a company that wants to remain to be known as top in its class in the creative fields, including video work, having full bluray support IMHO should be a priority.

Like I said - it's not something EVERYONE needs, but it is one of those things that many people do need or want.

It almost falls into the same general category as floppy drives (except that bluray is probably more common than floppy drives currently). Most people would argue "well, why in the world would you even need them any more. They're outdated, they're prone to failure, they don't store near enough information. There's no need to support them in hardware or software any more" - the only problem is there are still companies that provide certain things on floppy, and you need a drive to do an install (yes, I'm saying this from experience whenever I have had to install a version of software for our automotive class, I need a floppy drive to install the license key - seems stupid to me that a multi-thousand dollar software would use a floppy for the license key, but ours is not to reason why...).

 

[fletch33]

I don't think it's vital for a laptop, but it can be important for a desktop depending on the user.

agreed and i posted this poll as macbook for that reason. i want my iMac to have a burner still but my portable macbook i feel could benefit from better use of the space than a drive.

I know I would like it for the burning capacity also, 'cause if I have to move 30 gigs worth of video split between 3 files (I edit video on occasion, and source material can easily be 10-15 gigs in SD in the lengths I need), lugging around a HD or considering that flash drives aren't large enough yet (at least at a reasonable cost for the size), having bluray would be nice.

you can get a 32GB flash stick for around $80

a Blue Ray burner alone is going to run you around $425 and then around $5 per blank disk for the 25GB version.

would you rather have your data on a flash drive or a disk? it is clear that for price point the usb stick is a clear winner but isnt it also much safer than a disk that can be scratched?

 

[Nethfel]

agreed and i posted this poll as macbook for that reason. i want my iMac to have a burner still but my portable macbook i feel could benefit from better use of the space than a drive.

I agree that the space benefit would be incredible - as would the power benefit, and the lack of another moving part to break. I just wish for some of the other things I did, and do, I didn't require a cd/dvd drive for. I would MUCH rather not have to carry around discs,

you can get a 32GB flash stick for around $80

a Blue Ray burner alone is going to run you around $425 and then around $5 per blank disk for the 25GB version.

would you rather have your data on a flash drive or a disk? it is clear that for price point the usb stick is a clear winner but isnt it also much safer than a disk that can be scratched?

This is true, and it does defeat my transfer data arguement, but if you need to test a bluray video you created on on your computer on a standalone player you might be a bit harder pressed unless you had a bluray burner. It's not a drive for everyone - but for those that need it, it is IMHO important.

I should point out I definitely don't feel it's important for a laptop tho as I think most of the time people outputting HD video to a bluray distribution will be using a Mac Pro desktop - possibly a macbook pro for editing and such, but I doubt for burning purposes.

But, the discussion of bluray support diverts from your main topic as bluray support is more an OS thing in general then just something for laptops (as there aren't too many laptops that have bluray anyway).

In terms of your original poll, in my perfect world, cd/dvd drives would no longer be needed on any laptop. In my real world, unfortunately, I still need them.

To be honest, I think it might be a good modification in the apple line tho to remove the drive from one of their models - like the macbook white - to give another option to those who don't need it or perhaps an option to not have one at all on the other lines by offering a secondary case design. It would give space for your second internal HD - as much as I'd like a secondary battery in a lappy, I'm not fond of a fixed internal battery; which might be what they would do if they put one there instead of creating another battery slot (I say this due to their being able to design a battery to fit in the bay the drive used to be in).

 

[Tofuik]

I use it alot for work (I have to review cds in my spare time for the radio station I work at)

Plus I have alot of software on cd, and I have to burn dvds of video footage often.

I guess a usb/firewire drive would work at times but wouldn't it make stuff slower if you really had to do alot of a drive?

 

[fletch33]

Tofuik i noticed you have a MBP and i would think if you needed that you might still need cd/dvd's

i just started the thread to get some opinions and see if others were like me and have moved past really needing a drive and would like the option of some more battery life or storage space. i think it would be a nice option on the macbook.

i am completely digital but i do have an external cd/dvd drive that i have needed 2 or 3 times in the last couple years

 

[Tofuik]

Yeah, of course Imagine if the battery used up all that space plus the space it does now.... 15 hour battery!

 

[pigoo3]

I agree that I rarely use my CD/DVD drive...but when you need it you NEED IT!

For example:

- games that require a CD/DVD in the drive while playing
- software (games or applications) that are not downloadable
- CD's/DVD's are great way to archive or backup data
- I prefer to have my software on CD's/DVD's...so if I need to do a reinstall, it's fast & easy.

I definitely agree that lugging around a CD/DVD in your laptop 100% of the time is unnecessary.

When it comes to Apple laptops...remember there was a time when Apple laptops had removable CD/DVD drives. You then were able to swap the CD/DVD drive with:

- a floppy drive (obviously this is obsolete)
- a 2nd battery to basically double battery runtime (great for coast to coast airline flights watching movies/playing games)
- insert an empty module (save weight)

Until software is distributed in another format...such as a USB drive...I think that CD/DVD drives are still pretty important.

- Nick

 

[fletch33]

well only 14 votes but it seems i am not even close with the consensus. i thought that more would agree with me.


not that i care whether or not people would agree but i was hoping that if more people where leaving cd/dvd's behind then i would possibly see Apple offering me a driveless option and give me some other options with that space.

thanks for your votes.