I think most people would understand if you asked them how long it would take to download a million large photos, given that one large photo often takes several seconds to complete. They'd realize that this might be a slow process.
Incidentally, it's not just about transfer speed. Sometimes people ask if you can e-mail something that has never been put on a computer, and would take weeks or months to scan in. Or sometimes they ask for access to information when access is very slow to set up due to security or privacy considerations. Or sometimes they ask for access to something that the boss needs to physically sign off on, after the boss has gone home for the day. This is only a problem if they've decided it's urgent to have it, and simply haven't thought ahead about how it might not necessarily be possible to get instant access to every piece of information that ever existed.
We can change technology. But we also need to retain the mindset of arranging access beforehand. It's not about "blaming", it's simply about encouraging people to understand what they're asking for and to make sure they get the access they need before they need it.
[As an aside, DVDs are just an example of "sometimes it's really freaking slow to download data" that somebody like my mom would get. An alternative way to phrase it would be "downloading that would be so slow, it'd be better to just have your friend bring her laptop over." I certainly don't intend to suggest a new industry standard.]