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I completly agree with the OP, optical drives are a neccesity. I love having the flexibility of an optical drive, because I can expand it in the future with a second HDD or so and I also actually still have a large DVD collection that I take everywhere!
 
While I understand that some (few) people still need the optical drive, I am strongly against being penalised for it. I want my laptop slim, functional and mobile. I am very happy that Apple decided to drop the ODD when they did, because it frees me (and the majority of the users) to carry around a useless component we never use. A laptop should only include the basic, everyday functionality mobile functionality in its core. Neither the ODD nor the ethernet are basic everyday mobile functionality. Users that need them can use external devices.
 
And before anyone says anything, yes I know this ages old!


But I too think it's bloody stupid thing to do ie do away with cd and dvd drives......what about folk like me (and probably the op too) who've got a lot of cd's ect and want to play them, some might have photos too....

Purchase a 20 dollar external cd/dvd drive, rip all of your cd's to your hard drive and the problem is forever solved! You will never have to lug around a CD binder and you will have all of your music on your computer at all times.

Once that is done go one step further. Upload all of your music to a cloud service such as Google Play Music or itunes Match and have access to all of your music anywhere, anytime.

There is a much more efficient way of doing things these days. Once you convert your music you will wonder how you ever carried around Cd's. :)

Same with any movies you may have.
 
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