when is the last time you used the optical drive in your home computer?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

6 months ago... to install borderlands ($5 from Target clearance).

before that was to install win7 which was almost 2 years ago.

 

[spaceman]

lolptical

 

[bhanson]

None of my current computers have an optical drive.

The unused desktop in my closet does and the only reason I even bought one was to install the OS.

 

[Texashiker]

Burn mp3 cds for the cd player in my truck.

Install the original diablo to see if it would run on windows 7 64-bit

Install the OS

Burn a cd of malware removal tools and free anti-virus to be used on an infected computer - cds are safer to use then thumb drives, as the infection can not write to a finalized CD.

 

[Monster_Munch]

I used the bluray drive in my HTPC last weekend to watch Casino Royale. The movie wasn't any better on the 2nd viewing

 

[lxskllr]

I think a month ago when I burned a CD for someone. I don't use tem much, but they're useful to have on occasion; mainly for the reasons Texashiker gave. They aren't like floppies which have been worthless for well over a decade.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I think the last time I used one was to burn some MP3s 2 or 3 weeks ago. Before that was probably the last time I played BC2, as it checks the DVD for copy protection purposes.

 

[Red Dawn]

I have a USB DVDWR that I use amongst my computers when the need arises. Most of the time though I just use a USB flash stick/drive.

 

[ultimatebob]

I watched a BluRay movie on my new laptop about two weeks ago.

But, yeah... I rarely use the optical drive to even install games anymore. Via Steam!

 

[Juddog]

Had a blu-ray going this morning, so I voted today.

 

[fatpat268]

Not often... probably last week.

Even though I don't use it often, I wont build a computer without one. It's better to have one and not need it than need one and not have it. Laptops are a different story though.

 

[CZroe]

What if "to install my OS" happens to be "today?"

FWIW, I own an Alienware M11x and still use optical drives almost daily.

 

[bhanson]

Actually, I forgot I did use a CD drive a few months ago. There were some practice questions that came on CD in one of my textbooks. I had to dig out an old laptop with an optical drive and I burnt it to an ISO and then transferred it around via USB drive.

 

[TecHNooB]

starcraft 2

 

[Vic Vega]

Today.

Used my BR burner in my workstation to backup some data I need to take home and analyze.

People keep yammering about cloud this, cloud that. Listen, that's find for small data, Word docs, .jpegs... when you have real, large data sets, physical media is still king. What am I going to do? By the time I uploaded my 28GB of data from work and DL'ed it at home it would be two days. Or I can just take it with me on light, compact, durable physical media format that took me less than an hour to make (while burning in the background).

 

[SpunkyJones]

Good question. At first I was thinking I used it all the time, but between Steam and other cloud apps, I don't think I've used it more than once or twice since I installed the OS. (6 months ago).

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Right now.

Usually couple times a week.

 

[coldmeat]

Besides installing the OS around christmas 09, I think I used it once, and that was to watch a LOTR dvd, which I then left in there and forgot about for about 6 months.

edit: now that I think about it I guess I used it to install BFBC2.

 

[ibex333]

I use my DVD burner all the time. Why keep all that "Stuff" I download on the hard drive when I can back it up to DVDs? My HDD is very large, and I have several of them, but it is still not nearly enough.

If you only use your DVD drive to install games and programs, you're what I call a "user". If someone called me that, I'd be very insulted. But that's just me. ; )

 

[lxskllr]

I use my DVD burner all the time. Why keep all that "Stuff" I download on the hard drive when I can back it up to DVDs? My HDD is very large, and I have several of them, but it is still not nearly enough.

Optical media is much more expensive than hard drives are, and they fail with appalling frequency. I've "backed up" important stuff to DVDs, but I don't consider it a proper backup so much as an "I hope this works", and "It's better than nothing" deal.

 

[WelshBloke]

Today.

Used my BR burner in my workstation to backup some data I need to take home and analyze.

People keep yammering about cloud this, cloud that. Listen, that's find for small data, Word docs, .jpegs... when you have real, large data sets, physical media is still king. What am I going to do? By the time I uploaded my 28GB of data from work and DL'ed it at home it would be two days. Or I can just take it with me on light, compact, durable physical media format that took me less than an hour to make (while burning in the background).

USB stick would be quicker.

I use mine mostly for making DVDs of the kids for the family.

Sucks when I restart the computer and I forget there's one in there.

*WHRRRRRRR*

 

[NikolaeVarius]

About a month ago. I installed some old games to try em out.

 

[dfuze]

On the HTPC, just a few days ago after borrowing a video from the library for the kids.

 

[Vic Vega]

USB stick would be quicker.

I use mine mostly for making DVDs of the kids for the family.

Sucks when I restart the computer and I forget there's one in there.

*WHRRRRRRR*

I don't have a 60GB USB stick... I regularly move this quantity of data around.

I do have a USB HD though that I use sometimes. The burner is quick and fast though, I hate carrying the HD around.

 

[sdifox]

I don't have a 60GB USB stick... I regularly move this quantity of data around.

I do have a USB HD though that I use sometimes. The burner is quick and fast though, I hate carrying the HD around.

you can burn faster than you can transfer files to an external hdd?