Why the New Mac Mini is in Desperate Need of an Optical Drive

The new 2011 Mac Mini recently hit the desktop computing scene, but shocked many Mac fans by not providing one of the most common hardware features available, an optical disk drive. Following is why it's too early to do away with discs on the Mac Mini.

Software

Software installation is one of the main reasons while optical discs are currently being used nowadays. Sure, the world has gone app crazy and one can argue that the new Mac Mini can survive solely off of DRM content such as the Mac Apps store - and while this might be true to a certain extent it still gives users of the Mac Mini a disadvantage. Due to its lack of an optical disc drive, the all-new 2011 Mac Mini offers no support for store bought software or software discs that were previously bought by the owner.

Entertainment

If you're not a big software buff, odds are that you use discs like Blu-ray discs, CDs, and DVDs to get your daily dose of entertainment. Watching movies, playing music, and playing games are usually done via the use of an optical disc and although sites like Netflix, Steam, and iTunes give gamers, movie buffs, and music lovers a way to do without discs, what will a new Mac-Mini owner do with their preexisting collection of entertainment discs.

Back Up/ Restore

I love using external hard drives and flash drives to back up media because they offer a quick and easy way to back up important files that can be retrieved and used simply, but sometimes a DVD or CD is best for backing up personal setting and files on a desktop computer. Flash drives and external hard drives can't be used to boot from in case of serious operating system woes and they provide a low priced alternative to flash drives and external hard drives.

Optical Disks Aren't Dead -- Yet

By stripping the new Mac Mini of its optical drive, Apple was making a statement that disc formats are dead, but although they might be dying off, optical discs are far from dead. Streaming sites, the cloud, and external drives are making a clear case for the end of those shiny and colorful round discs that we've always loved, but there is still widespread use of discs nowadays. There's no doubt that CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays will one day go the same route as 3 ½ inch floppy discs, D Drive discs, and Zip drive discs, but Apple is being just a little too forward looking with the removal of the disc drive from the new Mac Mini.