I think it's a great idea. It's 2011 for christ sake! Stop wasting material. Put those into the jetpacks and make those mainstream!
While I agree on keeping physical media (CDs, DVDs, etc) available as downloading is not practical for everyone (in the real world, not on this forum) I am glad to see signs of Apple moving toward digital distribution before removing the optical drives from the most popular computers, notebooks.
It is more logical to do it in that order rather than remove the internal OD and still sell CDs and DVDs.
So what happens if I have no internet connection? Only way to get online is via a public place. Cmon apple not everyone is rich like you
Also MANY people dont know how to download and install... they 100% trust cds to do the job for them.
i think i just looked at the situation from my own perspective. i have no need for software on optical media. But reading your argument makes sense a "newbie" may be chocked when he sees the expensive price tags on the boxes unaware of the fact tat iwork costs only ≈$45 in the mac app store. as i said i don't need to have the box and the dvd/cd but for many people its just more comfortable to know that if their computer crash they can install the programs again without going thru the re-downloading thing on the app store.So wouldn't that make the problem even worse? Your newbie almost-about-to-buy-a-Mac guy walks into the Apple store, sees the software shelf, which contains a few titles from Adobe and Microsoft, maybe Final Cut Studio, and NOTHING ELSE, and says "Geez... that's it???" and "Holy cow, look at these prices?! Apple software costs a fortune!"
There's something to be said about a shelf full of an array of colorful boxes of low-priced, high-function software. "Oh, it's all downloadable online now" doesn't look cool.
Umm, so what about Mac Office, Adobe products, Autodesk products? Stuff like that?
One more step closer to eliminating optical drives from all of the Macs.
Would be totally awesome to be able to simply download Lion.
I still like having a physical copy. USB sticks would work, just bring in your own 16gig stick and an Apple employee will put the software on it for you. Then take it home and burn it onto a dvd if you like. That would work in my eyes.
What happens if ones hard drive crashes and most of your applications were downloaded and you have no backup? I know I have read it but I forgot where and what I read. Will start searching again.
and what about the apps that you can find only in the retail box? (Like iDvd,...)
I think its good, but I think we should get a discount, since apple no longer has to invest on materials..
At the same time though, this could be a big issue for those who have horrible internet connection...
Re-download?What happens if ones hard drive crashes and most of your applications were downloaded and you have no backup? I know I have read it but I forgot where and what I read. Will start searching again.
So what happens if I have no internet connection? Only way to get online is via a public place....
Also MANY people dont know how to download and install... they 100% trust cds to do the job for them.
Maybe they'll start selling them on USB keys, if they move away from optical media (MBA).
Have you used the Mac App Store? There is none of that.
What happens if ones hard drive crashes and most of your applications were downloaded and you have no backup? I know I have read it but I forgot where and what I read. Will start searching again.