The Computer Buzz

January 15th, 2009

Nome and Paul Van Middlesworth - owners - The Computer Factory
 

"Any Color, As Long as it's Black"

This famous reply came from Henry Ford when asked what colors were available from the factory on the Model "A." It illustrates a point.

In the early days, cars and trucks were valued for their practical attributes. Color and style mattered little. Oh sure, there were Rolls, Buggatti, Stutz, Dussenburg and other luxury cars. The rich and famous have always had their toys, but for the great majority, functionality, not form, was king. After WWII things began to change. The Caddy's grew tail fins, Buicks sported chrome ringed faux exhaust ports and the 52 Chevy Bel-Air came out with a "two tone" chrome trimmed paint job.

From the late 50s and through the 60s automakers went crazy with non-functional fins, trim, bumpers, color schemes and body shapes, all within easy reach of the average family's budget. Picking a new family car was no longer based solely on practical features, colors and styles were easily just as important. It was the era of the "juke box on wheels."

Today, for many folks, the outside of the car they drive is more important than the inside. They use what they drive to make a statement about who they are. It works too. All of us make certain assumptions about people depending upon what they are driving. The assumptions we make may not be what the owner intended to convey (Porsche drivers?), but that's life.

Desktop computers today are where cars were in the 1950s. The functionality is taken for granted now and folks are starting to think more about appearance, and why not? The PC is often a visible part of the home or office décor. Why shouldn't it be pleasing or fun to look at?

For the first 20 years of the PC era, every thing was beige or gray. Cases, keyboards, moniters, everything. It all changed after 2000.

We've built computers in dog and cat cases for animal fanciers. Last year we did a frog with bulging, movable eyes on the keyboard, mouse and speakers. On a couple of occasions we did faux burled walnut cases for the office of senior corporate executives. Acrylic, see-through cases with colored lights and fans are always popular. Gamers often prefer brightly colored cases with a demonic or alien appearance and lots of flashing lights and control panels.

Most of the computers we build are still cased in the now traditional black mini or mid tower. Request for beige colors and true desktop configurations are rare. Each year we find more of our customers selecting styles and colors that express their particular tastes.

Small desktops for apartments and dorms, "lunch box PCs" with carrying handles for LAN parties and brushed aluminum towers for that high tech "Delorian" look. We can build just about anything. To quote an old comic line "does anybody wanna buy a duck?"

If anyone knows who, where and when that line was spoken I sure would like to know. I couldn't find it anywhere on the WWW. Groucho?