Well, as the happy owner of MBAs since 2010, I needed to buy a Superdrive (and bought the Apple as I still buy and use (and rip and burn) CDs, and will long continue to do so; indeed, I use it to watch DVDs, too.
Now, I will readily concede that it is not the best designed piece of technology ever devised by Apple. My personal experience is that is one is ripping a number of CDs - and, as I often work abroad for months at a time, I buy CDs, either nine or in shops and rip a number of them in one sitting, - the Superdrive gets a bit temperamental after a while, and slows down.
It works best in bursts, rather than continuously, and to be quite candid, can be a bit erratic. Some years ago, I had one replaced under Applecare, as it was faulty.
However, it is convenient for what I do; it is a form of technology that I need - as I still buy and play CDs - and therefore, while the technology exists, I imagine that I shall have one in one form or another.