How a Computer Case Is Built

mtxmorph writes "Ever wondered how that pretty case on your desk came to be? Tom's Hardware Guide recently took a trip to China to see the production process for the Chenbro XSpider/Gaming Bomb case. Lots of interesting pictures in this detailed article." I must admit, this is far more intriguing than I'd initially thought, if only for the subtle differences in corporate culture. Chenbro employees have the option of living "on campus" in employee housing.

Comments

Focusing on the wrong thing

[ScrewMaster]

As a software engineer specializing in user-interface design, I don't believe the computer's enclosure is where the user's attention should be focused. "Oooh ... shiny!" So what? A computer user spends most of his time looking at the screen anyway: the case has no purpose other than to support some parts. And the truth is that, whether it be cars, computers, or women, it's what's under the hood that counts.

It's just ego, really, and the desire to be thought well of by other people. Now, I'm not deriding the ego trip, in and of itself. In the right context, it can be highly motivating. I mean, most of us programmers love to have someone in our own field look at our work and say "Hey ... that's way cool ... how'd you get it to do that?" The desire for more positive feedback of that nature drives us to do even better next time. So if you really want to stand out from the computing crowd, learn coding and do something cool and useful that the rest of us can enjoy, and you'll really impress us. Your shiny new plastic computer case with the electroluminescent panels stuck all over it will not. Put the money into a faster processor or a better video board instead, or better yet some programming classes at your local college.

To be honest, if some manufacturer were to make a case that blended in with the rest of my office (say, a nice dark woodgrain finish that would match my desk) I'd be first in line to buy it. Some years ago I did something like that. I bought some wood-grain contact paper and covered a mini-tower with it, and spraypainted the front panel a matching color. It looked very nice, fit right in with the rest of the decor. Hm. I may have to try that again, now that you got me thinking about it.