Q: No DVD drive in new iMac ???

If you guys actually read what I wrote, you'd see that I said it should be included with the purchase of the computer, part of the cost, so you wouldn't be paying anymore for it. If you don't want it, don't take it, or don't use it, or just get rid of it. A computer without an optical drive is like buying a car that doesn't come with tires, it's stupid. Just because a dozen or so people on the planet don't actually want a optical drive doesn't mean the tens of thousands or so people who buy Macs and would like one should be inconvenienced. Aside from watching movies or burning music, which isn't THAT important, I shouldn't have to pay 80 bucks for an external optical just to be ABLE to install new software that I already have to purchase. If you don't want the drive then don't use it. If anything, it should be cheaper to buy the computer and opt out of having the optical drive if you don't want it. Apple already makes a killing on their products, they can afford to offer an optional optical drive to people for christ's sake.

mjg556 wrote:

 

If you guys actually read what I wrote, you'd see that I said it should be included with the purchase of the computer, part of the cost, so you wouldn't be paying anymore for it.

Do you live in some fantasy land where things are free?

Nothing is free so if you want an optical drive you can buy one, I (as I do not want one) can choose not to.

mjg556 wrote:

If you guys actually read what I wrote, you'd see that I said it should be included with the purchase of the computer, part of the cost, so you wouldn't be paying anymore for it.

Of course we would be paying for it. Nothing like this is actually free. Nobody gives Apple the raw optical drive mechanism, the materials needed to make the case, or pays for the factory to assemble & ship the finished unit. Apple pays for all of that & since it is a for profit corporation it is going to pass the costs along to the end buyer, along with a markup to cover warranty & support costs & to keep its stock holders happy.

mjg556 wrote:

Aside from watching movies or burning music, which isn't THAT important, I shouldn't have to pay 80 bucks for an external optical just to be ABLE to install new software that I already have to purchase.

If you have an older Mac with a built-in optical drive, you can use it along with CD/DVD sharing to install software on a new iMac. I have done this just to make sure it is possible & it works quite well. And if that isn't practical for you, as has already been mentioned many times in this long discussion there are many, far less expensive external optical drives on the market that you can buy that work at least as well as Apple's $80 unit. If you live in the U.S., you should be able to find one on sale for $30-35 from any of several "big box" computer superstores, shipping included if you order it from their web sites.

i just received my iMAC yesterday and noticed that there's no DVD drive on it. Such a huge disappointment to me since i already bought an installer (CD) few months ago.. I'd been sooooooo excited to install this programme once i got my iMac. But now, i have to buy an external superdrive for that matter.

Did you ever hear of reading the specs on a device before you before you purchase it?

It certainly cuts down on the surprises that way.

If you have had for less then 14 days and are that dissatisfied with it take back for a refund.

All Mac computers no longer have built-in optical drives.

It has been this way for two years.

A little online research on your part and look at the iMac specs online at Apple's website and maybe a trip to an Apple Store would have revealed this fact to you.

well. i thot it's a must-have device in all computers. stupid me eh.

never mind. just bought that "apple-external-CD-player".. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

With Apple and many other Software Companies using Internet downloads only and software downloaded from Apple servers on the Mac App Store, Apple made a decision to do away with the built-in optical drives in their computers.

These built-in optical drives were always the first piece of hardware to fail and they were problematic and weren't standing up to being both mounted In a non-standard, vertical position in iMacs as well as being exposed to the rather warm internal environment inside of iMacs and Mac Minis.

Most report that the new Apple external optical is more reliable and stable, now, being out of these harsher, internal computer environmental conditions.

Superdrives were removed from iMacs 2 years ago, did you not look at it?

i've been using a DELL desktop since 2009.

This is my first 'APPLE'.

I meant did you not look at what you were spending all that money on?

I've answered this in my prev post.

OK.

honestly, i'd still prefer to use CD rather than Internet downloads. oh well.. guess i need to follow the trend eh..

thanks for your kind reply michel.