Separating the iMac

Emous Pratt writes: "There is a neat article up on iMacLinux.net which talks you through separating the monitor and computer parts of the iMac. It is very detailed, with lots of cool screenshots including this one of the completed machine, and this one showing the machine is still working. This is useful if you want to run Linux and not run the monitor, or if your monitor is broken." Update: 02/03 19:37 GMT by T : Note for the curious: this is about the old iMac (CRT equipped), not the new lampish G4 variety.

Comments

PC Cases

[0123456789]

Given how successful the original iMac was, and that this one is probably going to be, how come the vast majority of PC cases are just plain dull? Beyond a different colour, or a small curve somewhere, they are all essentially identical. There's got to be a market for mass-produced decent looking PC cases.

Shame you can't order an iMac with wintel innards....

Re:PC Cases

[ekrout]

There's got to be a market for mass-produced decent looking PC cases.

There is

Re:PC Cases

[maggard]

The question was:

Given how successful the original iMac was, and that this one is probably going to be, how come the vast majority of PC cases are just plain dull? Beyond a different colour, or a small curve somewhere, they are all essentially identical. There's got to be a market for mass-produced decent looking PC cases.

and you link to: http://www.colorcases.com/cases/cases.html ?

Are you trying to prove the point that the vast majority on PC cases are just boxes tarted up?

I believe the question is why aren't there more creative designs, ones that involve more then sticking swoopy curved bezels in old iMac colors on the basic PC box? Heck, Apple built their PC chassis with handles on the corners and a fold-out door with the motherboard and other components conveniently on it, not awkwardly mounted inside the frame.

IBM had a clever desktop pod with CD ROMs in it, Intel has the ever-giddier future design collection, but aside from the spate of iMac-wannabe's the PC chassis selection seems to be pretty moribund, snap-on bezels aside.

Re:PC Cases

[Anonymous Coward]

I've been a professional electronics technician for 20 years. I worked on everything from F-18 avionic systems, Honeywell mainframes, two-way radios. Let me tell you, from a technicians perspective, the PC case is the tops in industrial design. You won't find a better design when it comes to serviceability.

Most electronic devices are a pain in the ass to work on because you need to disassemble tons of shit before you can get access to the electronic parts. Servicing a PC is a dream; its modular philosophy has made PCs cheaper and more reliable. Could you imagine how nice it would be if automobiles were as easy to service as a PC? Once upon a time they were (almost).

Re:I don't see what all the fuss is about...

[Anonymous Coward]

Now think... if the post I'm replying to was about a Windows-XP embedded device, it would be up to +5 funny in minutes. Because it's about an Apple product, this one will be modded down pretty quick.

news for nerds?

[feldsteins]

I wonder if knowing how to disconnect the display would be equally handy for someone not running linux.

But then,what am I saying? Linux guys are all about disconnecting stuff. And besides who in their right mind would want to run Linux on a LCD display like the one on that iMac?

"Slashdot: News for Nerds. Stuff that matters"? Hey I love slashdot, but let's face it. It's "Slashdot: We like Linux. Not much else."

Re:news for nerds?

[Some Dumbass...]

I think your conclusion is a bit too strong. From the original:

This is useful if you want to run Linux and not run the monitor, or if your monitor is broken.

I do believe I see the word "or" in there. The post is not all about Linux. There's a specific mention of a way that knowing how to disconnect the display could be useful for non-Linux users. Presumably the reason for mentioning Linux first is that the post was submitted by a Linux user. There seem to be a lot of those around here.

As for your general complaint, yes, there do seem to be more Linux-related stories on SlashDot than stories which focus (at least in a positive manner) on any other OS. (We'll ignore all the other topics like DVDs and Anime and so on). *BSD fans also complain about this sometimes :) What it boils down to is this: either more Linux-related stories get submitted, or more get selected. If the former, then the Linux bias could be due to more input coming from the Linux users. Or perhaps there are just more Linux users on SlashDot than any other group. Either way, it's hard to complain when the majority is getting majority representation. You want to see stories on other OSes? Submit them!

If the latter, then you might have something to complain about. You know who to complain to :)

Re:iMac.

[JonathanF]

It's this kind of condescension that lets Windows dominate the market unnecessarily. Do you assume that Apple's computers are for stupid people from genuine experience with the OS, or are you just generalising because it's labeled as easier to use compared to Windows or Linux (and hence doesn't seem "manly" to you)?

If you want, OSX has a Unix-based command terminal on top of the GUI. Apache is built-in for a web server (provided you aren't going to violate your ISP's terms of service with it). You can customize the Dock's size, position (including auto-hiding it), and whether it magnifies icons when you move your mouse over them. There's plenty of network configuration options if you need them.

If you're worried about hardware upgrades, get a PowerMac G4 - they have a bay expressly designed to make upgrading easy. iMacs aren't for "stupid people," they're for people who don't feel they need to upgrade except for when they get a new computer altogether. Not everyone 'needs' a new video card or hard drive every 6-12 months, or even at all. If I'm just using AppleWorks or Word, why bother?

But I'm likely making assumptions of my own, and I apologize. I'll ask you then: what, exactly, about Macs do you think makes them limited to "stupid people?" Maybe you should visit Apple's OSX site and find out. Just having lots of visual flash and a one-button mouse doesn't put your hardware or OS on a lower plane of existence.