Bought a new computer the other day, a Visio CA24-A2. I got it mainly to do my 3D video editing and it had good specs for that; i7 processor, SSD to speed up disk operations, 2 HDMIs and all USB3 ports....BUT....no optical drive. Since I already had a USB3 high-speed external Blu-Ray burner (CD/BD/DVD}, I was okay with that, but it did get me thinking. Is this the wave of the future? Apple led the way, of course, and it seems now that other manufacturers are also starting to eliminate the optical drive as part of their basic configuration. I checked a few boards and it seems that the feeling is that most new software can now be downloaded off the 'net and almost everything else involves digital transfers. All of our current keyboards use either flash drives or SD cards. I just bought several 64G class 10 micro SD cards for one of my Video cameras. It's the size of a fingernail, faster than a speeding bullet and holds the equivalent of (how many?) CDs or DVDs. The only advantage at the moment I guess is the cost of the media, but that too will probably be resolved. I give them (optical drives} another 2-3 years before they disappear entirely as part of your basic computer. Thoughts?

chas

You’re assuming everyone in the world has access to and can afford the latest equipment, and has reliable high speed broadband etc. However as a lot of the world don’t, the optical disc will be around for some time to come, but you are correct that at sometime in the future it will die, as will the HDD drive, as they are both replaced with solid state media. (Just don’t expect it anytime soon)

Bill

Chas at least you got something right, Bill in you expert opinion do you thing I will see solid state media on a PC I would build or am I and other SZERS running out of time, it would be nice to know!! Frankly Bill I am not expecting anything anytime soon.. just juggling with what little life is left.

Records, 8-tracks, Cassettes, Minidiscs, floppies . . . yes CDs are next in the evolution to obsolescence. How long? Everything is relative, but probably faster than we think, like life!
DonM