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Interesting. All I seem to need is a big hard disk, the optical drive only gets used when I'm installing something like an OS, or ripping a CD. I guess I'd prob

Interesting. All I seem to need is a big hard disk, the optical drive only gets used when I'm installing something like an OS, or ripping a CD. I guess I'd probably use my laptop's drive more if it was my only computer, but I'd still prefer it to be external. Oddly enough, laptops without optical drives are almost all more expensive than comparable ones with.

jimbokun 18y ago
Most likely, it takes extra engineering investment to gain the weight and size reduction that you are hoping for by removing the optical drive. I mean, they could just put some kind of doohickey in that empty space to cover it up, but I really don't think that's what people want. From the design specs describing how the new MacBook/Pro is basically carved from a single hunk of aluminum (or something) it's probably even harder to engineer another form factor without the disk. Or, more accurately, they already did and called it MacBook Air.
cookiecaper 18y ago
Right. My laptop isn't my only computer, but I use the optical drive a lot. It's useful for watching / ripping DVDs whilst traveling, and it's just come in handy for me a lot of times. Again, there are only two USB ports on my MacBook Pro ... one is usually used for an external mouse and if there wasn't an internal optical drive I'd often have to use that port for the optical drive. It also introduces storage and transportation concerns and issues of a majorly important component of a computer, which sucks. I mean, I use it a lot. When I'm out doing contract work clients often ask for a CD or give me one. Family members and friends do this with some frequency as well, it's one of the easiest ways to transfer data that exceeds reasonable attachment size (I have crossover cable with me at all times, but usually a CD is easier if it's not a ginormous amount of data). I'd be quite limited by the lack of an optical drive. Incidentally, I use the optical drive in my main workstation somewhat less than I use the optical drive in my laptop, though I wouldn't want to give that up either.
- pmjordan 18y ago
  Interesting, thanks. Most of my sneakernet data transfers seem to be on USB sticks, external HDDs or similar, and all of my customers so far have had WiFi or a wired LAN, so I haven't even thought about that being an issue. As for movies and other media... yeah, that's where the large HDD comes in. :) I definitely wouldn't want to give up the drive in my desktop, but that's not weighing down my backpack, so it's a different story.

jimbokun 18y ago

Most likely, it takes extra engineering investment to gain the weight and size reduction that you are hoping for by removing the optical drive. I mean, they could just put some kind of doohickey in that empty space to cover it up, but I really don't think that's what people want. From the design specs describing how the new MacBook/Pro is basically carved from a single hunk of aluminum (or something) it's probably even harder to engineer another form factor without the disk. Or, more accurately, they already did and called it MacBook Air.

cookiecaper 18y ago

Right. My laptop isn't my only computer, but I use the optical drive a lot. It's useful for watching / ripping DVDs whilst traveling, and it's just come in handy for me a lot of times. Again, there are only two USB ports on my MacBook Pro ... one is usually used for an external mouse and if there wasn't an internal optical drive I'd often have to use that port for the optical drive. It also introduces storage and transportation concerns and issues of a majorly important component of a computer, which sucks. I mean, I use it a lot. When I'm out doing contract work clients often ask for a CD or give me one. Family members and friends do this with some frequency as well, it's one of the easiest ways to transfer data that exceeds reasonable attachment size (I have crossover cable with me at all times, but usually a CD is easier if it's not a ginormous amount of data). I'd be quite limited by the lack of an optical drive. Incidentally, I use the optical drive in my main workstation somewhat less than I use the optical drive in my laptop, though I wouldn't want to give that up either.

pmjordan 18y ago
Interesting, thanks. Most of my sneakernet data transfers seem to be on USB sticks, external HDDs or similar, and all of my customers so far have had WiFi or a wired LAN, so I haven't even thought about that being an issue. As for movies and other media... yeah, that's where the large HDD comes in. :) I definitely wouldn't want to give up the drive in my desktop, but that's not weighing down my backpack, so it's a different story.