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"Bookshelf" Computer Wins Design Contest

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the hardware-libraries dept.

aibrahim writes "Industrial designers at Purdue University win a competition for next generation computer design sponsored by Microsoft. The design emulates a bookshelf, with hardware components that are "stacked" horizontally around a cube shaped CPU. The design attempts to address hardware issues from a user perspective and is pretty cool despite a focus on DRM."

10 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. No genious but not terrible by hey · · Score: 4, Interesting

    With present machines if you want to add a USB drive, just plug it in. But then where does it physically sit around. On your desk, I guess. If there are many such add-ons it becomes messy. So this design sorta addresses the mess issue.

    I'd like to see a standard spec for stacking (verically) components. They can be connected at the back with USB.

    1. Re:No genious but not terrible by ciroknight · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Eh. This design borrows heavily from the old Mac/NeXT Cube idea, and the more recent Mac Mini idea. People have already figured out you can duplicate the footprint of all three and make components that "stack" well together.

      The problem is, stacking isn't really a good interface for a computer, it's best to be as freeform as possible, just in case someone wants to put their computer sideways on a bookshelf, or mount it in some odd configuration inside of their car/boat/etc.

      But, then again, you could always build USB/Firewire/SVideo into the "stack connector", so that it would look seemless. No ugly 1' usb cables going from the harddrive to the computer, to the speakers or anywhere else.

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
  2. DRM and security don't mix by openfrog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What is the greatest issue facing computing today? For the users, it is security, for some vendors, it is the security of their hold on some part of some market. DRM answers the second interest to the detriment of the first. The jury who awarded this prize don't understand this, or they do, and have themselves some interest, therefore are not impartial.

  3. Anyone Remember the IBM PCjr ? by ccandreva · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Aside from the chicklet keyboard, it's claim to fame was expansion by stacking cartridges on the side.A little memory here, a printer port there, and you had a few feet sticking off the side.

    http://www.oldskool.org/shrines/pcjr_tandy

    Sounds like the same thing with a new paint job.

  4. Portable Computer? by jbreckman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A guy at work has been talking about how nice a small, non-laptop cube would be which essentially had the equivalent of a docking station. He wanted to easily have one computer at a couple of locations, but doesn't want to be constricted by laptop shortcomings. If they left the CPU completely port free, and relied on those book-things to get a monitor/keyboard/mouse hookup - it'd be pretty cool.

  5. Nifty by fwitness · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You know what we be cool to put on that bookshelf? An Encyclomedia PC! This is by far the nicest form-following function I've seen home-brewed in a long time. I couldn't resist the chance to plug it.

    --
    -- I have fans? Wow.
    1. Re:Nifty by hey · · Score: 3, Interesting

      This guy had a cute idea but what about the ugly cables from the fake books to the TV. And it should be in a book shelf!!!

  6. Amiga Walker by YorgleLlama · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It looks like a horizontal version of the vertical "Amiga Walker" http://www.blachford.info/computer/walker/walker.h tml It was never functional as intended, but the top and bottom halves were meant to be separated and expansion modules placed in the middle. Which would make the top and bottom the equivalent to the bookends...

  7. "Probably won an award" by Council · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The book The Design of Everyday Things discusses horrible design decisions in appliances, doors, locks, gadgets, computers, and basically anything with a user interface. The book shows how the same mistakes are made over and over by each new designer, issues of user interfaces as simple as buttons and levers, which many engineers know little to nothing about.

    In this book, the author repeatedly criticizes designs with the phrase "It probably won an award." He attacks design awards as being given out to aesthetically pleasing or structurally innovative designs, but without sufficient consideration and testing by people who actually have to use the device.

    --
    xkcd.com - a webcomic of mathematics, love, and language.
  8. Apple Design by hotsauce · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, Apple actually did design the bookshelf computer back in the 80's, and it was an ingenious design (separate processor, drive, graphics, etc modules). Read AppleDesign; it's hard to get but can be found in some libraries. Practically pornography, and will make you weep at the wonderful designs that never made it out of their design shop.

    --
    Lies about crimes