Subj : Re: Commodore Computers
To   : poindexter FORTRAN
From : boraxman
Date : Thu May 05 2022 00:06:47

 pF>  bo> I think this was due to the rise in vanity cases, cases which were
 pF>  bo> designed to look 'cool', with trim, lights and the like.  People want
 pF>  bo> something that stood out from the beige.  It started with gaming PC's
 pF> 
 pF> 
 pF> I'd claim it started in the late 90s before gaming became a marketable
 pF> thing  - weird translucent covers over optical drives, CD storage on the
 pF> top,  matching keyboards with lots of dedicated buttons and mice,
 pF> proprietary  speakers that hung on monitors like wings, flip covers over
 pF> USB ports, and  translucent covers reminiscent of the iMac. In fact, now
 pF> that I think of it,  they were probably all lame attempts at capturing
 pF> some of the iMac color  buzz.
 pF> 
 pF> It all may have peaked with that weird Packard Bell "corner PC".
 pF> 
 pF> 

Oh yeah, I remember now.  When I built my PC's, I wanted as generic and plain as possible.  Nothing fancy that might cause problems.  Those odd cases where pretty bad to work with.

One which was OK was the Amstrad PC2386.  It had the expansion cards towards the side, not the back, and the expansion cards could be covered by a door which slid on.  Made accessing the headphone port of the Sound Blaster easier, but to open the case was hard.

The XT was gold standard.  Just press the buttons on the side and lift the hood!

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