Ian SmithMar 3
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 3

@IanDSmith
I'm not seeing how they made CDs and DVDs harder to use. You shove them into a drive, same as always.

Nobody forced you to subscribe to a streaming service. All of my music is still on local storage. A copy of everything sits on a USB stick plugged into my car radio, a copy sits on microSD in my phone.

Nobody made you give up phones with removable storage - you stopped buying them.

Don't blame industry for selling you what you asked for.

Show threadMarianne

@hyc @IanDSmith what drive? Laptops don't have them as standard anymore. Most cars don't (happily ours does). People rarely add them to desktop builds.
They aren't a default inclusion now and most people lack access.

And who is 'you'? Ffs.

Mar 3 at 10:41pmWeb
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 3

@noodlemaz @IanDSmith It really doesn't matter that they're not built into laptop or desktop PCs any more. USB DVD drives are dirt cheap and you can move them freely between laptop and desktop. https://www.amazon.co.uk/External-CD-Drive-Portable-Optical/dp/B0F9KF47H2

Using optical discs in cars just gets them scratched. Far better to copy the discs to a USB flash drive, that's impervious to shock or vibration.

External CD DVD Drive for Laptop USB 3.0 Type-C Slim Portable Player CD DVD RW Writer Reader Burner, Low Noise Optical External Disk Drive for Desktop, PC, Mac OS,Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/2003/Vista/Linux : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Shop External CD DVD Drive for Laptop USB 3.0 Type-C Slim Portable Player CD DVD RW Writer Reader Burner, Low Noise Optical External Disk Drive for Desktop, PC, Mac OS,Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/2003/Vista/Linux. Free delivery and returns on eligible orders.

Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 3
the drive I linked above costs less than 1 month of a spotify subscription. It's a no-brainer.
Show threadRaptor Mar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith portable CD players with USB out can actually plug into the dash of any modern car and just work, you can pick them up off the shelf a lot of places still, most shops with car parts will have them as well, they only cost a few $ more than a normal external drive but they also are made to play back while moving so they won't scratch up the disk.
Show threadRaptor Mar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith (also radio still exists and works just fine for free, local radio stations tend to still play plenty of new music and frankly they seem to have LESS ads than the streaming services do these days)
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 4
@raptor85 @noodlemaz @IanDSmith radio's ok in an urban area I guess. Out here reception is spotty, hills and mountains block coverage, etc...
Show threadRaptor Mar 4

@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith you should be able to get reasonable coverage in suburban and rural areas (within reason, ~50 miles or less from the tower broadcasting), if you're experiencing less it unfortunately may just mean your car has a crap antenna. (you can get cheap aftermarket ones)

And true, as you get farther out and have hills/mountains that will affect it, but that's a tiny portion of the population, 95% of people live and commute within the easily covered zones.

Show threadRaptor Mar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith (plus in context of this discussion if you're so far out you can't receive broadcast radio you're also likely not getting a steady enough 4g/5g signal for streaming)
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 4
@raptor85 @noodlemaz @IanDSmith true! Even more reason to just carry my own music library around with me on flash.
Show threadMarianneMar 4
@hyc @IanDSmith any you'd recommend not on amazon? I am in the market for this one as I'm looking to put CDs on an SD.
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 4
@noodlemaz @IanDSmith these days I'm sure they're all good enough, but review sites like this might help you https://www.guru99.com/best-external-dvd-drive.html
6 BEST External DVD Drive (Blu-ray) in 2026

Explore top-rated external DVD drives. Ideal for laptops and desktops, our list prioritizes performance, value, and sleek design for optimal use.

Guru99
Show threadMarianneMar 4
@hyc @IanDSmith so many of them are AI slop these days, which is why I ask people for personal recs. If you don't have one, that's fine!
Show threadJenMar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith yeah, that's *more difficult*.

Embedded drive:
1. Shove the disc in, press a button

External drive:
1. Wade through the various possible external drives, working out what exists
2. Figure out what various specs mean so to work out if they're important
3. Work out which connector(s) the laptop has
4. Place an order
5. Unpackage the drive
6. Do the physical setup, which includes having the physical space for the drive to sit
7. Do any software setup (it *might* just work, it might need a driver)
8. Shove the disc in and press a button

To you, that might be trivial. To the average user? It's friction that they may not be able to get past. It doesn't have to be a lot more difficult to make a difference to people's choices.
Show threadMidgePhotoMar 8
@jetlagjen @hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith Drivers? This is C21
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 8
@jetlagjen @noodlemaz @IanDSmith my post said quite explicitly "USB external". Your post is nonsense.
Show threadJenMar 8
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith I can't help if you haven't the imagination or empathy to understand 🤷‍♀️
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 8
@jetlagjen @noodlemaz @IanDSmith anyone who's willing to pay $144/year for the rest of their life, to never own any music, vs paying $12 once, to actually own their music, has made their choice already.
Show threadJenMar 9
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith yes. Based on paying more money being *easier* for them.
Show threadMarianneMar 9
@hyc @jetlagjen @IanDSmith it's not either or
I have a streaming service (not Spotify) and a bunch of CDs.