How on earth could you get the exact same sound from a computer, as you could from Flea, or Les Claypool. It can be mimicked, but the original sound would have to be laid down by an instrument.

Basses rule. They're a necessity. Every rock band has one, every symphony orchestra has one or more.

If your into that boom-dee-dee-boom techno crap people try to call music, they I could see how you would think a computer could replace a bass. However for music composed and played by humans weilding actual instruments (which I personally refer to as "real music"), a bass is as necessary as any other instrument.