I use my MacBook as a desktop. It's connected to a cinema display. Very rarely do I find the need for the internal optical drive. Software is almost always installed from a download. Backups are done to a firewire hdd. Even still, when I burn a DVD I almost always use my external burner because it's faster. File transfers from machines not on my home network are usually done using a 2G thumb drive. Files between home and work are moved through my iDIsk. If I was to take the laptop on the go, the last thing I'd probably use is the DVD drive.
Living without a built in optical drive is easy to do.
If I was to buy the new upcoming thin-book, I wouldn't miss the optcal drive if it was to go. If you had to reinstall the OS, something you need a the DVDs for, you could either use another machine in target disk mode, or connect an external DVD drive. I've seen some pretty small, thin USB burners for sale that are desinged to fit nicely in a laptop case. Sony has a pretty small one.
I use my MacBook as a
I use my MacBook as a desktop. It's connected to a cinema display. Very rarely do I find the need for the internal optical drive. Software is almost always installed from a download. Backups are done to a firewire hdd. Even still, when I burn a DVD I almost always use my external burner because it's faster. File transfers from machines not on my home network are usually done using a 2G thumb drive. Files between home and work are moved through my iDIsk. If I was to take the laptop on the go, the last thing I'd probably use is the DVD drive.
Living without a built in optical drive is easy to do.
If I was to buy the new upcoming thin-book, I wouldn't miss the optcal drive if it was to go. If you had to reinstall the OS, something you need a the DVDs for, you could either use another machine in target disk mode, or connect an external DVD drive. I've seen some pretty small, thin USB burners for sale that are desinged to fit nicely in a laptop case. Sony has a pretty small one.