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Even for Apple's hardware customers, Apple's opinion on whether or not to deprecate the optical drive isn't entirely trustworthy. Given that CSS has been compr

by fpgeek 15y ago

Even for Apple's hardware customers, Apple's opinion on whether or not to deprecate the optical drive isn't entirely trustworthy. Given that CSS has been comprehensively cracked, ripped DVDs are the most widespread and reliable source of DRM-free commercial video in the world. Apple sells DRMed video that competes with (among other things) ripped DVDs. Beyond the financial incentive, Apple wants people to buy their DRMed video because it strengthens their ties to Apple's ecosystem. This all means that Apple has substantial ulterior motives for deprecating the optical drive. Personally, I think that as technical speed bumps are worked out and available bandwidth increases ripped video is going to follow the path blazed by ripped music, so the optical drive still has some life left in it.

ugh 15y ago
So, you need an internal drive for ripping? External drives are where it’s at and Apple will gladly allow you to use them. (You can get one for the low, low price of $20 if you really want to.)
- fpgeek 15y ago
  Need, of course not. That being said, internal drives make ripping significantly more convenient and, hence, more common (which still means incentives for ulterior motives). Defaults matter a lot and having to opt into an optical drive will make a significant difference in practice no matter how cheap and easy opting in is. Also, if Apple is really done with the optical drive, the day will come when they won't sell the peripheral either. There will almost certainly be third-party options, of course, but Apple would have added yet another inconvenience. And so on. Throughout this process, Apple can reasonably claim to be acting in the interests of the consumer, but the ulterior motives are still there. That means there is a credible reason to doubt Apple's claims.
  - ugh 15y ago
    What’s inconvenient about ordering an external drive from Amazon? It’s cheaper than Apple’s drive, anyway, and you can do it right now. There won’t be third party options – because said third party options are already here and cheap and available everywhere. There is no need for stupid conspiracy theories. Optical media is done. It makes sense to longer include it by default. And if you really believe that there will be less ripped movies around because Apple ditches the optical drive, well then I can’t really help you. Pirating will always be easy, what Apple does doesn’t matter.
    - fpgeek 15y ago
      I think you misunderstand me, so I'll try to clarify. I'm not saying that ordering a third-party drive from Amazon is some insurmountable obstacle, I'm saying it is a small inconvenience that will result in a measurable difference in behavior because defaults matter (often much more than we think - see the studies on opt-in vs opt-out 401(k) enrollment). I'm also not arguing that there will be a smaller selection of ripped movies on bittorrent or whatever. I'm arguing people will use ripped movies less and, in particular, will use rips of their own collections less (and even watch their own collections less on their computer, but I think that effect is less interesting) because the optical drive is less convenient: - they're less likely to have it at all (as argued above) - it might not be at hand when you want to use it (particularly if you're not at home) - using an external drive is flat-out physically less convenient than an internal one (particularly if you need to keep your drive and computer plugged in and/or have other peripherals in the mix...) Why would it matter that people are ripping their own collections less? Because the norms around ripping your own collection come from CD ripping and the norms around downloading movies from bittorrent come from piracy. Many more people are willing to do the former than the latter. In other words, ripping your own collection is very useful and is fundamentally different from pirating. The convenience of ripping DVDs you own is an important factor that will affect people's video consumption and I think that effect is growing with time. I'm also not claiming that there is a complex conspiracy going on. I'm saying that, from a consumer's perspective, Apple's judgment about whether or not "the optical drive is done" is compromised. For that matter, this compromised judgment may manifest itself consciously or unconsciously. Apple decision-makers might unconsciously make any or all of the following mistakes (as well as others): - underestimating the usability of DVD rips - overestimating the usability of iTunes video by not considering niche drawbacks (e.g. subtitle issues) - underestimating the desire of people to have video on non-Apple devices (e.g. Android phones or tablets) To put it another way: Even though Apple has better technical judgment overall, I'm more willing to trust Lenovo or Dell's judgment about whether or not "the optical drive is done" because they don't face the same conflicts of interest that Apple does.
      - ugh 15y ago
        Who rips movies? That’s even nerdier than ripping CDs which also hardly anyone does. It doesn’t matter. Pirating has to be far more prevalent than ripping movies. I’m not sure what all that judgment talk of yours is about. Optical drives are done for me personally. I have no use whatsoever for an internal optical drive and I actually can’t think of anyone I know who would really need one. I will certainly never ever again buy a PC with an internal optical drive. That has nothing to do with Apple’s choices. It’s my personal choice and I will be very happy if Apple will sell me a product that fits my personal choice. If not I will have to buy something else. What do I care for Apple’s reasons? (I don’t think they are absurd like you paint them.)

by fpgeek 15y ago

ugh 15y ago

So, you need an internal drive for ripping? External drives are where it’s at and Apple will gladly allow you to use them. (You can get one for the low, low price of $20 if you really want to.)

fpgeek 15y ago
Need, of course not. That being said, internal drives make ripping significantly more convenient and, hence, more common (which still means incentives for ulterior motives). Defaults matter a lot and having to opt into an optical drive will make a significant difference in practice no matter how cheap and easy opting in is. Also, if Apple is really done with the optical drive, the day will come when they won't sell the peripheral either. There will almost certainly be third-party options, of course, but Apple would have added yet another inconvenience. And so on. Throughout this process, Apple can reasonably claim to be acting in the interests of the consumer, but the ulterior motives are still there. That means there is a credible reason to doubt Apple's claims.
- ugh 15y ago
  What’s inconvenient about ordering an external drive from Amazon? It’s cheaper than Apple’s drive, anyway, and you can do it right now. There won’t be third party options – because said third party options are already here and cheap and available everywhere. There is no need for stupid conspiracy theories. Optical media is done. It makes sense to longer include it by default. And if you really believe that there will be less ripped movies around because Apple ditches the optical drive, well then I can’t really help you. Pirating will always be easy, what Apple does doesn’t matter.
  - fpgeek 15y ago
    I think you misunderstand me, so I'll try to clarify. I'm not saying that ordering a third-party drive from Amazon is some insurmountable obstacle, I'm saying it is a small inconvenience that will result in a measurable difference in behavior because defaults matter (often much more than we think - see the studies on opt-in vs opt-out 401(k) enrollment). I'm also not arguing that there will be a smaller selection of ripped movies on bittorrent or whatever. I'm arguing people will use ripped movies less and, in particular, will use rips of their own collections less (and even watch their own collections less on their computer, but I think that effect is less interesting) because the optical drive is less convenient: - they're less likely to have it at all (as argued above) - it might not be at hand when you want to use it (particularly if you're not at home) - using an external drive is flat-out physically less convenient than an internal one (particularly if you need to keep your drive and computer plugged in and/or have other peripherals in the mix...) Why would it matter that people are ripping their own collections less? Because the norms around ripping your own collection come from CD ripping and the norms around downloading movies from bittorrent come from piracy. Many more people are willing to do the former than the latter. In other words, ripping your own collection is very useful and is fundamentally different from pirating. The convenience of ripping DVDs you own is an important factor that will affect people's video consumption and I think that effect is growing with time. I'm also not claiming that there is a complex conspiracy going on. I'm saying that, from a consumer's perspective, Apple's judgment about whether or not "the optical drive is done" is compromised. For that matter, this compromised judgment may manifest itself consciously or unconsciously. Apple decision-makers might unconsciously make any or all of the following mistakes (as well as others): - underestimating the usability of DVD rips - overestimating the usability of iTunes video by not considering niche drawbacks (e.g. subtitle issues) - underestimating the desire of people to have video on non-Apple devices (e.g. Android phones or tablets) To put it another way: Even though Apple has better technical judgment overall, I'm more willing to trust Lenovo or Dell's judgment about whether or not "the optical drive is done" because they don't face the same conflicts of interest that Apple does.
    - ugh 15y ago
      Who rips movies? That’s even nerdier than ripping CDs which also hardly anyone does. It doesn’t matter. Pirating has to be far more prevalent than ripping movies. I’m not sure what all that judgment talk of yours is about. Optical drives are done for me personally. I have no use whatsoever for an internal optical drive and I actually can’t think of anyone I know who would really need one. I will certainly never ever again buy a PC with an internal optical drive. That has nothing to do with Apple’s choices. It’s my personal choice and I will be very happy if Apple will sell me a product that fits my personal choice. If not I will have to buy something else. What do I care for Apple’s reasons? (I don’t think they are absurd like you paint them.)