Have been looking at the Lenovo Thinkpad ultra
portable..... model X41

It does NOT have optical drive built in since its only
12'1" screen. Instead you buy the docking station which
has optical drive there.

Would you buy a laptop of any size without built in
optical drive?

me@privacy.net wrote:
Is this a survey?

Notan

me@privacy.net wrote:

Sure. I NEVER ONCE have used my optical drive while mobile. I only use
it for installing software and burning backups, both of which I do at
home.

zwsdotcom@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks for opinion

<me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:5dffu19hqj8rnuk4mvthqonao0r4mpahnd@4ax.com...
No. End of discussion.

me@privacy.net wrote:
All the time. What would one need such a thing FOR? You have
networking, no? That should be more than enough for anyone as far as
access to anything goes.

Sheesh - surely "optical drives" went out with the ZIP? Or are they
making some sort of comeback? What's wrong with a 1GB memory stick if
you MUST use sneakernet? You can stick it in a camera to avoid losing
it.

Or does "optical drive" mean in the OP's lingo something like "laser
reading head"? I.e. a dvd or cdrom drive? Again - never used the
things. Would never consider having one on a portable device. Portable
means lightweight to me.

Peter

"Peter T. Breuer" <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> writes:
1gb memory stick, 50 bucks
4.7gb dvd-r blank, 50 cents.

Do the math.

Paul Rubin <http://phr.cx@nospam.invalid> wrote:
1gb memory stick - reusable 500 times. Necessary for camera
anyway. Cost 10c/GB.

4.7GB reusable 5 times if you are lucky (maybe twice in my experience).
Cost 2c/GB. Useless coaster taking up space.

Why the argument? I wouldn't use EITHER! Who cares what your feet are
shod with? Use the net, man.

Peter

"Peter T. Breuer" <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> writes:
They're not for re-use; that's what hard discs are for. DVD's are for
interchange. Send some files to someone on DVD by sneakernet, and you
don't care whether you get the DVD back.

Paul Rubin <http://phr.cx@nospam.invalid> wrote:
Fine - but why not you make your files available via ftp or http, and
let the someone download them? It's rather faster and cheaper. You can
evem email them, if you like to be proactive about network data
transfer...

And if you don't reuse the dvds, the price/GB goes to the memory stick
mark (althugh the uses are different). But why have a dbd writer in a
_portable_? Does one also have a printer in it? (I send a fax from the
modem if I want to print and the upper bodwana hotel doesn't have a
printer ...). I still don't see what an "optical drive" would be good
for in a portable - maybe because I don't really know what is meant by
the term!


Peter

"Peter T. Breuer" <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> writes:
It's up to the user. Panasonic made a portable with a printer in it
some years back. I'm sure there are users who would love to have
something like that today.

I agree that increasingly pervasive broadband makes sneakernet less
important, but sometimes you just can't beat the bandwidth of a stack
of dvd's.

For my own uses (YMMV), in a "big" portable (used mostly at home but
occasionally taken places), the cd/dvd burner comes in handy often
enough to be worth it. In an ultraportable (for travel etc) the
weight savings of omitting it may be worth more.

Also, lots of people like to use their portables for watching dvd
movies on the road. If you've got the drive anyway, it might as well
be a burner.

"Peter T. Breuer" <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> wrote in message
news:f47lb3-dam.ln1@news.it.uc3m.es...

I find it hard to believe that you don't know that the OP is referring to a
CD - ROM drive or one of its many variants. Since these use an optical
device to read, or even write Compact Discs (CD's) they are commonly called
"optical drives". Known by everyone on the planet but you.

<me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:5dffu19hqj8rnuk4mvthqonao0r4mpahnd@4ax.com...
I'm using an X41Tablet now - 1866-5GU - Don't miss the Drive at all -
whenever I do install software, I use the dock, but never needed it while
remote.

I also use an X40, also without drive bays - same thing.

My opinion is yes, I would definitely use a laptop or tablet without extra
bays.

Kevin <webman6@hotmail.com> wrote:
I don't - I assumed he was referring to magneto-optical media, such as
ZIP drives. What is "optical" about a cdrom or dvd?


What? They use a laser - not in the optical waveband, I think (but
maybe that's changed nowadays). The writing part is done by melting I
think, though maybe there are some dies used to (nowadays).

Not only do I not know it, I have never seen them referred to that way.

optical
adj 1: of or relating to or involving optics; "optical supplies
2: relating to or using sight; "ocular inspection"; "an optical
illusion"; "visual powers"; "visual navigation" [syn: {ocular},
{optic}, {visual}]
3: of or relating to or resembling the eye; "ocular muscles";
"an ocular organ"; "ocular diseases"; "the optic (or
optical) axis of the eye"; "an ocular spot is a pigmented
organ or part believed to be sensitive to light" [syn: {ocular},
{optic}, {opthalmic}]

Google does indeed know about "optical drive manufacturers", so I
presume it's a newism. Whatis.com doesn't know the words, however,
returning only sponsored links:


Optical Drive
Optical Drive Save up to 25% on select PowerVault^(TM) storage products!
www.Dell.com/SmallBusiness
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Full line of new/refurb optical drives, media, and
libraries stock.
www.9to5computer.com
Lenscrafters? Eye Wear
Lenscrafters? Eye Wear Quality eyewear and eyecare. Find a LensCrafters
store near you!
www.Lenscrafters.com
Optical Disks
Optical Disks All formats of blank Optical Disks 3.5", 5.25", 12" Worm
and more.
totalmedia.com
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Compare prices on computers & accessories. Find deals and
save!
PriceGrabber.com

I would guess that the term has come about through the confusion of
"laser" with "optical" by marketing people.

Peter

No. I use the optical drive in my laptop a lot. I think most people do.
An external drive could be plugged in via USB, but this is inconvenient.

"Peter T. Breuer" <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> wrote in message
news:a81mb3-m71.ln1@news.it.uc3m.es...
Your response in analogous to saying you don't know what a "car" is but you
do know what an "automobile" is. Or you have no idea what is meant by the
word "soda" but you do recognize the words "soft drink".

Paul Rubin <http://phr.cx@NOSPAM.invalid> wrote:

Greta debate guys. I'm learning a lot

I'm leaning towards NOT having optical drive in an
untraporatble

"Cleveland Tech" <clevelandtech@hotmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for advice

I'm real real real close to buying the X41

Question..... do you like he standard format screen it
has? Or wish it had a wide screen display?

The other ultra-portable I'm looking at is the Dell
710. Its 12.1" but it does have optical drive
built-in.

Do you ever wish the X41 had wide screen format?

me@privacy.net wrote:
HOLY SHIT! DO YOU KNOW WHAT "PERSONAL PREFERENCE" IS?

GET SOME BALLS AND MAKE A DECISION ON YOUR OWN!

Notan

me@privacy.net wrote:
Sure. My old Sony R505 laptop was small, with a docking bay
underneath that held the optical drive, floppy, and the usual set of
connectors. The Dell Latitude D series laptops work fine with the
D-Bay optical drive exchanged for either a spare battery or hard
drive.

I wouldn't buy one that couldn't ever have an optical drive, but with
aftermarket USB drive I'm not sure that exists any more.