Losing a floppy drive was no big deal. Removing an optical drive is a BIG DEAL. The "cloud" is not reliably available in most of the US at all times, and is significantly less secure than our local solutions. We have DVD archives; we create DVD videos. Unless I pay an extra $150 a month, I don't have remote access fast enough to move the DVD data, and neither do most people I know. Besides, when my clients receive that volume of data, they'll need to buy new hardware to store it.

The reality distortion field around Cupertino has run amock. Last night we were talking about what to do when we're stuck with these new crippled Macs. One person said he had a firewire external drive that he attached to his MacBook Air with Velcro. Really?! I considered a new Mini, until the details about its lack of optical and how I'd have to spend nearly $2000 to replace my software, more to add missing hardware, or replace hardware that's now incompatible with the new OS.

Crippled hardware and software are big steps backwards, mainly to cater to the new users who don't really need computers in the first place, ignoring those of us who have been using Macs in our studios for years. Don't get me started about how broken Final Cut Pro X is....

After 25 years, I've almost completely lost patience with Apple.