While amusing, all these comparisons are arguably and increasingly over the top for the situation the OP finds himself in. We are trying to establish the remedies that require a minimum outlay of additional expense compared with other users who can utilize broadband connections in lieu of OS Install discs. Most of what you say (barring the hyperbole) may be true, but it is still not germane to the issue at hand. Only when it has been established that the prevailing limitations set by the OP cannot be circumvented without additional expense do most of the suggestions made come into play.
The question remains: have all minimal options available to the OP been listed?
The post I was replying to said: A person who buys a computer without installation media should not need to back up.
My answer was: Yeah, they should, just like people who
do have installation media.
The post I was replying to said: Users need installation media, because 80% of of them are incapable of making backups.
My answer was: Far more than 80% of users are unable to find whatever installation media their computers came with.
As for the OP's needs, the problem there is lack of bandwidth (and, apparently, lack of interest in actually solving the problem when it's so much more fun to rant). Apple has addressed the bandwidth issue by allowing bandwidth-challenged users to bring the computer to an Apple Store and use their bandwidth.
But the OP also needs to back up. Apple will help restore the system software, but the OP's data is the OP's responsibility, and I don't think there are any alternatives to that. Backing up means buying media to back up to. I don't see any alternative to that, either.
