Cool G4 mock up [Archive] - MacRumors Forums

g3ski

Jun 19, 2002, 12:05 AM

Beautiful design, the FW ports are slick....big improvement over the current tower which already is sweet.

Front accessible FW is a MUST.....also add front USB to that.

Two optical drives as an option is also a MUST - why are we stuck with zip (or a tape drive) in the 2nd bay, what were they thinking :mad:

Get the built-in superdrive to read and burn DVDs. Add a 40X/12X/48X CD-RW for $75 and not be stuck with the slow burn speeds of the superdrive. Then also be able to copy a disk whenever you need to.

BTW, I hope they have the superdrive 2 out in time for July, I haven't seen much news on the progress tho.

TypeR389

Jun 19, 2002, 01:02 AM

http://lauren.servebeer.com/g4-9000.gif

I apologize to anyone that actually claims to know photoshop, but this was the first thing I thought of when I saw this. Also, said graphic element borrowed from Hemingray...

Machintosh G4-9000...

Dave, would you like it if I sang a song?

irmongoose

Jun 19, 2002, 02:35 AM

Daisy, oh Daisy.... :p

But the original mock-up doesn't look bad... I like it how the drives have the little green lights on them like the Xserve...

I wouldn't mind if that was what was being introduced at MWNY... but I wouldn't mind a little more either...

irmongoose

iGav

Jun 19, 2002, 05:26 AM

I quite like it...... I'm definitely up for some hot metal though........ :D

8thDegreeSavage

Jun 19, 2002, 07:25 AM

I perfer this one by some other dude on Spymac....really tight vision for the case design.

http://www.spymac.com/gallery/data/3112ThenewG5.jpg

mmmdreg

Jun 19, 2002, 07:36 AM

Like the first one..but it looks sorta like some PC's around these days...some more form would be nice..

iN8

Jun 19, 2002, 07:48 AM

would you really be happy with another warmed over G4 (El Capitan) box which is three generations old?(B&W G3, Graphite G4, Quiksilver)

Don't get me wrong, I love the G4 box, it's the best ever done. But I am ready for Apple to replace it on my list with something even better.

iN8

Jun 19, 2002, 07:55 AM

__________________
What the bloodclot is the damned
error now.

HeHe, your funny!

McFreggle

Jun 19, 2002, 08:17 AM

The eject button on the disk drive looks nice! What we don't see is a right mouse button? :D

k.

Mr. Anderson

Jun 19, 2002, 08:22 AM

iN8

Jun 19, 2002, 10:30 AM

This image was discussed at length in the private section, and I went ahead and made it look more like the original XServe style. It was too clean, the gradients were too smooth, so after a little playing around in photoshop (less than 15 minutes) I came up with this.

You say you came up with this. Isn't it the same case. It just looks like you adjusted the levels and hue in Photoshop. Am I wrong?

g3ski

Jun 19, 2002, 10:56 AM

If only they had made that revision when they brought out quicksilver.

Mr. Anderson

Jun 19, 2002, 11:14 AM

Originally posted by iN8

You say you came up with this. Isn't it the same case. It just looks like you adjusted the levels and hue in Photoshop. Am I wrong?

No much more than hue and levels. I took the original and made it look more like metal, more like a photo by adding some noise, using rendered clouds for dispersion and adding that as a color. The original was way too smooth, I made it look more like a photo, more like the XServe, which it lacked. This was because of the discussion on whether it was real or not. A smaller image had been found somewhere else and it took a while before someone else came along to show the original. Then I worked a little photoshop on it to make it look more believable, that's all.

iGav

Jun 19, 2002, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by iN8
would you really be happy with another warmed over G4 (El Capitan) box which is three generations old?(B&W G3, Graphite G4, Quiksilver)

Don't get me wrong, I love the G4 box, it's the best ever done. But I am ready for Apple to replace it on my list with something even better.

I'm with you on this one...... Apple really needs to replace the case........ the current design is getting really long in the tooth now....... :(

But we need something alittle more original than a reworked Xserve for a case..... I have complete faith in Ives to come up with something super cool and innovative!! ;)

Draft

Jun 19, 2002, 08:03 PM

I believe that the biggest problem with my G4 case is that I can't add a second CD drive. That drives me crazy. They put a second damn opening right there, too! But, low-and-behold, you can't use that bay for anything but zip drives. Weak. This is true, right?

Draft

g3ski

Jun 19, 2002, 08:21 PM

:mad: The 2nd optical won't fit b/c of the way they layed out the components on the swinging door. I heard of someone trying to do a mod to make it fit, but it was a lot of work - there just isn't enough room left over in the case.

Draft

Jun 19, 2002, 08:47 PM

That has to be the weakest thing on these cases.

Draft

Macette

Jun 19, 2002, 10:09 PM

it makes me sick to say this, but i quite like the way some of the new try-hard designer pcs are putting their optical drives vertical and slot-loading, rather than with big ugly trays. i reckon the G5 - and summer G4? - will go for that. that way the case can be slimmer and prettier. i hate the clunky tray in my B&W G3. I WANT SLOT LOADING.

and i'm kind of attached to the snow look too - it would match my ibook and ipod...

xx

Hemingray

Jun 19, 2002, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by TypeR389
I apologize to anyone that actually claims to know photoshop, but this was the first thing I thought of when I saw this. Also, said graphic element borrowed from Hemingray...

Machintosh G4-9000...

Dave, would you like it if I sang a song?

LOL, I love it! You can guess I'd buy one... :D

theranch

Jun 19, 2002, 11:33 PM

The original shot at the begining looks good. I just hope that they don't start looking like peecee's. This pic could sort of ...if you squint..look like the crappy gateway black and silver things. It's a stretch...I know.
You get the point.

G4scott

Jun 20, 2002, 01:08 AM

I like the x-serve-ish one, but it needs handles... That's what makes the G4 design such a good design (plus the fold-down side...) Maybe Apple could make it like the TiBook's appearance, but use cheaper metals. A nice clean futuristic look is what Apple needs.

I don't think that a slot loading drive is the best idea... You can't use odd shaped CD's, because they get stuck (or at least I think they do.) but 2 optical drive bays is a MUST!!! Even if Apple has to play around with the mo-bo...

g3ski

Jun 20, 2002, 01:10 AM

Interesting that slot loading CDs were hot back in 1997-98 (at least on PCs) and then kinda lost favor, probably b/c they couldn't deal with the fastest discs speeds as well as the trays could. Then of course came the DVD/CD drives, maybe there were other issues.

When Apple put the slot loading tray in the iMac, I figured it would make it to the tower right away, but nay. I don't care so much about saving space, I just like the way the slot loading CD works - quieter in sound and appearance than the tray.

I think a bigger tower is the way to go, if we can get the expandability inside. Do I really care if it's 3" shorter? If I wanted a little computer I would get an iBook, TiBook, cube, or iMac. :eek:

It would be cool to see a mock up of an expandable tower design - snap on an extra pod on top of the tower to add more drives, or PCI slots or whatever. They could sell the base with the power, AGP, video card, processor, CPU, and then the expansion pods would hold the drives, cards.....or is that the idea of firewire and usb :rolleyes:

dongmin

Jun 20, 2002, 04:51 AM

Originally posted by Macette
it makes me sick to say this, but i quite like the way some of the new try-hard designer pcs are putting their optical drives vertical and slot-loading, rather than with big ugly trays.

A slim tower would look great but I think there are some technical issues with putting optical drives on its side. I think I remember Steve saying something about it in regards to the iMac II design.

My requirements for a new tower case:
1. Easy access to the innards
2. Handles
3. Easier access to "digital hub" interfaces (firewire, usb, audio in/out)
4. better designed CD/DVD tray and door mechanism

mmmdreg

Jun 20, 2002, 05:22 AM

How come iMac cd-drives (tray and slot) are noisy? especially the trays on the rev b i had...my slotloading 600 is still noisy when a cd is inside..

void

Jun 20, 2002, 06:37 AM

the lighting is different on the apple logo and the speaker. Anyone notice that?

tcmcam

Jun 20, 2002, 07:05 AM

Most CD (and DVD) drives are very noisy. Pioneer revved from the A03 to the A04, one of their major enhancements was noise reduction.

Samsung's new CD-RW drives (the SW-320B) etc have been made to be REALLY quiet. They have a vibration elimination technology that cuts down on that awful noise.

Let's hope Apple (with their great low noise fan in the iMac) can make the new PowerMac's quiet.

Quiet Fan, quiet power supply, quiet CD-drives. Fortunately, they already use Seagate hard drives, which are the quietest hard drives on the market.

britboy

Jun 20, 2002, 07:07 AM

Originally posted by g3ski

When Apple put the slot loading tray in the iMac, I figured it would make it to the tower right away, but nay. I don't care so much about saving space, I just like the way the slot loading CD works - quieter in sound and appearance than the tray.

One of the reasons the pro-towers didn't go slot-loading is because of non-standard cd's. You can get mini-cd's and business-card cd's, both of which will do you absolutely no good whatsoever in a slot-loading drive (other than to potentially damage the optical drive). For the towers, i think it's best that they stay tray-loading for the time being. It allows for more versatility.

OSeXy!

Jun 20, 2002, 08:55 AM

It'll probably use one of those mega, low speed fans as seen in the eMac:

http://218.223.20.17/em01.html

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 09:07 AM

If Apple doesn't come out with the G5, I don't think I want them to release a new case. Reason being that, when they do release the G5 they would probably just update the case a little and that would be so undeserving of such a major move like switching processors.

Remember when the G4 was first released and they just cleaned up the B&W G3 case a little. It was kinda anticlimactic (sp?), I was a little underwhelmed.

So a revised case will do fine if they just release faster G4's. Just make sure there's DDR and faster throughput on the whole.

iGav

Jun 20, 2002, 09:20 AM

It should be made from metal...... be clean, minimal, modern looking...... and match my TiBook....... oh and definitely not be snow coloured...... :D

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 09:27 AM

oh and definitely not be snow coloured......

I agree it should definitely not be snow coloured... that is reserved for the consumer line (iMac, iBook).

Give us professionals something more hi-tech like the TiBook or Xserves metal.

Remember all the whinning about the B&W G3 not looking professional enough. Apple responded with graphite in the G4.

britboy

Jun 20, 2002, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by iN8

Remember when the G4 was first released and they just cleaned up the B&W G3 case a little. It was kinda anticlimactic (sp?), I was a little underwhelmed.

Anti-climatic or not, releasing a new case design for the last rev of G4's would give apple the chance to try out different options. They can release a new case now, find out what finnicky little problems it may have (for example, the first rev of tibooks has some issues, which have now been ironed out), and perfect it for the G5. Would you rather have a G5 with a problem-ridden case? I wouldn't.

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 10:46 AM

Would you rather have a G5 with a problem-ridden case? I wouldn't.

I guess I wouldn't either.

Thank you o great one for showing me the error of my thinking;)

OKComputer

Jun 20, 2002, 11:14 AM

if Ives has anything to say about it. a.) it wont be like anything we've ever seen...and b.) it certainly wont be problem ridden

irmongoose

Jun 20, 2002, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by vjv
the lighting is different on the apple logo and the speaker. Anyone notice that?

Heh. Maybe you should read the subject: cool g4 MOCK UP. mock= imitate= FAKE!

irmongoose

britboy

Jun 20, 2002, 12:08 PM

Originally posted by iN8

Thank you o great one for showing me the error of my thinking;)

Oh my goodness :rolleyes:
Just because i have more posts and a cool name like 'demi-god' doesn't make me any greater than you.

he he...... :D

OKComputer~ The first release of the tibook had some case issues that needed resolving. It's not unheard of for first revs to have problems that get solved in future releases.

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 12:47 PM

a.) it wont be like anything we've ever seen...

I think I agree with you on that. I don't think Apple would be so lame as to just totally copy the style of the Xserve onto the new case of the G4/G5 as the initial post shows. Apple's style is to innovate. What would be an obvious progression of design to us, is just that, obvious. Apple has a tendency to come out of left field with their designs (a la iMac2).

ShaolinMiddleFinger

Jun 20, 2002, 03:27 PM

I like all the mock ups all together, the first one looked really nice... my only problem is that it looks like a metallic version of Sony Vaio that I saw on their site. Well, we'll see what Apple does and hopefully it has the same elegance but still have that Apple look

King Cobra

Jun 20, 2002, 03:34 PM

Originally posted by britboy

Just because i have more posts and a cool name like 'demi-god' doesn't make me any greater than you.

he he...... :D

Maybe not, but at least you get the insider information and respect among the newbies. I want to join! :D

I am wondering if Apple has seen every fake mock-up of a possible new PowerMac and has decided to alter the best one they find as a real life Mac. But I like the idea of a new G4 or G5 (:)) case in the style of the Xserve. That would impress me.

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 04:00 PM

Maybe not, but at least you get the insider information and respect among the newbies. I want to join!

No offence to BritBoy, but anyone can be a Demi-God, you just have to contribute to the site either by purchasing a MacRumors mug or donating a bit-o-cash (or at least that is what I have read in these forums).

So if a title is bought, it comes with no respect from me. You gain my respect by the content of your posts, and from what I've read from BritBoy he seems to be a good guy. What I said to him (Thank you o great one for showing me the error of my thinking!) was really meant to humourous, not sincere.

Just because newbies are new to these forums doesn't mean they are new to macs or computers in general.

King Cobra

Jun 20, 2002, 04:05 PM

iN8, my comment was also meant to be humurous...obviously you didn't see that because you left out the similey in your quote of me.

Let me try again: :D Yep, there it is.

And I realize that knowledge doesn't come from post count or such. Again, I am trying to make a joke.

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 04:26 PM

iN8, my comment was also meant to be humurous...obviously you didn't see that because you left out the similey in your quote of me.

Let me try again: Yep, there it is.

And I realize that knowledge doesn't come from post count or such. Again, I am trying to make a joke.

Sorry bro, I really didn't mean to come off like that. I tripped and fell on a soap box on my way to my desk.;)

Smiley taken.

Ouroboros

Jun 20, 2002, 05:40 PM

I just hope that their new revision does something with that speaker on the front. I don't really dig it too much, it just doesn't look right. It doesn't make the clean look that Apple is going for.

DavPeanut

Jun 20, 2002, 06:44 PM

Originally posted by iN8
[b]Just because newbies are new to these forums doesn't mean they are new to macs or computers in general.
I'm a newbie (i think) and I've been using macs for 11 years, and i'm 14! H*ll, i was my middle school's unofficial tech support. Thats saying something as it was a math/science/comuter science magnet school!

King Cobra

Jun 20, 2002, 07:31 PM

Sorry bro, I really didn't mean to come off like that. I tripped and fell on a soap box on my way to my desk.;)

Just watch out for those Dove bars...they may be better IMO but have a lot less friction. It's like stepping on ice! :D

I just hope that their new revision does something with that speaker on the front. I don't really dig it too much, it just doesn't look right. It doesn't make the clean look that Apple is going for.

I agree with you there. The Quicksilver PowerMacs had the bare metal to the speaker exposed and is rather dangerous, especially for kids who wouldn't realize this. I like the external Pro Speakers that came w/the 0.5GHz Cube. You get more quality than the solo speaker, plus, you get two speakers. :cool:

Draft

Jun 20, 2002, 08:54 PM

Originally posted by iN8

Apple's style is to innovate. What would be an obvious progression of design to us, is just that, obvious. Apple has a tendency to come out of left field with their designs (a la iMac2).

I agree with you on this. Apple always seems to awe everyone on all of their new designs for their products. I hope that they keep the handles on it though. Maybe just change the handles enough so that they are more stable. I really like the handle idea, but they need some work.

Later,
Draft

iN8

Jun 20, 2002, 10:08 PM

http://www.homepage.mac.com/nathansawyer/xMac.jpg

It's even got a pop out and pivot handle in the back like the cube.

firewire2001

Jun 20, 2002, 10:26 PM

hmm.. its kinda big... whats the point of the size.. extra drives?

looks like a full tower in pc terms :D

g3ski

Jun 21, 2002, 12:42 AM

The x is the mystery of why it's so tall and only has one optical drive :p

Nice attempt to deal with the speaker being eXposed :)

I have a feeling that when Jobs and Ive release a totally new tower, it's going to be a modular cube-tower-pizzabox combo thingy that we just haven't really seen done before. Maybe July, if not, definitely MWSF.

jelloshotsrule

Jun 21, 2002, 01:12 AM

Originally posted by DavPeanut

I'm a newbie (i think) and I've been using macs for 11 years, and i'm 14! H*ll, i was my middle school's unofficial tech support. Thats saying something as it was a math/science/comuter science magnet school!

i love this guy and all his horn tooting...

especially the 800 math sat in his signature...

ahh. cracks me up! haha :rolleyes:

Manta

Jun 21, 2002, 02:28 AM

Many people have mentioned that the current case is still one of the best if not the best evar...

How can you improve on perfection? Sure there are some things that can be changed but the overall look and functionality still craps over the piss weak efforts of Dull and IBm etc.

I couldnt be happier than a G4/5 souped up comp in a modified quicksilver case...

Dunepilot

Jun 24, 2002, 06:49 AM

I know that someone pointed out the complaints about the B&W G3 cases, but does anyone recall the bright red cases that Computer Warehouse put a few limited edition mac clones in? I would love to see the introduction of some colour back into the pro line. Metal just seems too predictable for Jonathan Ive to be happy with it.

Anyone in Britain who got their hands on this bright red mac please post a picture

Megaquad

Jun 24, 2002, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by Nipsy
I want that exact machine with the three hot swap bays, and dual optical drives.
dude i need 3x5.25 bays
superdrive,fast dvd-rom,fast cd-rw

King Cobra

Jun 24, 2002, 09:22 AM

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule i love this guy and all his horn tooting...

especially the 800 math sat in his signature...

ahh. cracks me up! haha :rolleyes:

Maybe I should put in my signature that I have scored perfect on all my Calculus quizzes so far. :cool:

Originally posted by Manta
How can you improve on perfection? Sure there are some things that can be changed but the overall look and functionality still craps over the piss weak efforts of Dull and IBm etc.

I am wondering if all the pictures and rumors of an Xserve-like case for the new PowerMac is true. I would perfer a change, since the exposed speaker with the Quicksilver is rather dangerous. What if kids use them? What if parents let their kids poke holes in them? I think it's a $30 or $60 speaker anyways.

Dunepilot

Jun 24, 2002, 10:08 AM

I could put that I got a first in my Mods exams at Oxford University, which probably puts me in the top one per cent of the population in this country, but I don't think you need to write stuff like that in a sig.

skunk

Jul 8, 2002, 12:29 PM

Well, you don't need to now: you've just told us!:p

pgwalsh

Jul 8, 2002, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by Dunepilot
I could put that I got a first in my Mods exams at Oxford University, which probably puts me in the top one per cent of the population in this country, but I don't think you need to write stuff like that in a sig.

and I'll include in my signature that I got kicked out of boarding school for getting caught having sex in the computer lab.

skunk

Jul 8, 2002, 02:56 PM

It's not what you got, it's what you do with it....

MacUser1

Jul 8, 2002, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule

i love this guy and all his horn tooting...

especially the 800 math sat in his signature...

ahh. cracks me up! haha :rolleyes:

I feel the same way!

sparkleytone

Jul 8, 2002, 03:33 PM

thats f'in sexy man. gj

G5orbust

Jul 8, 2002, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by pgwalsh

and I'll include in my signature that I got kicked out of boarding school for getting caught having sex in the computer lab.

Lets see here, hmmmmm.

Semen Clean up- $20
Condom- $2.50
Damaged equiptment-$1273.50
Knowing you had sex you'll never forget- priceless

pgwalsh

Jul 8, 2002, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by G5orbust

Lets see here, hmmmmm.

Semen Clean up- $20
Condom- $2.50
Damaged equiptment-$1273.50
Knowing you had sex you'll never forget- priceless

Our lab had all Mac Plus's and now they have one left in a showcase. The memories.

G5orbust

Jul 8, 2002, 11:52 PM

Originally posted by pgwalsh

Our lab had all Mac Plus's and now they have one left in a showcase. The memories.

Wonder if that baby still works. I'd be a sweet relic to have.

kingslod

Jul 9, 2002, 01:37 AM

I know for a fact that neither Spymac or Atari created said "mockup." ;) I'd love to give credit where credit is due, but I think the msytery "mockup" should stay a mystery.

But, what if its not a mcokup?

My take: Wishful thinking. I predict no big changes in case design, but the specs in the pic may be real. :D

Chryx

Jul 10, 2002, 08:05 AM

Originally posted by g3ski

I have a feeling that when Jobs and Ive release a totally new tower, it's going to be a modular cube-tower-pizzabox combo thingy that we just haven't really seen done before. Maybe July, if not, definitely MWSF.

Like the Acorn Risc PC you mean? (http://www.bits.bris.ac.uk/francis/riscos/riscpc.html)

Notice
http://www.bits.bris.ac.uk/francis/riscos/images/riscpc/base.jpg

then notice

http://www.bits.bris.ac.uk/francis/riscos/images/riscpc/rs-1.jpg

:)

It's been done, but I'm sure Apple's approach would be quite a bit less goofy looking :)

skunk

Jul 10, 2002, 08:09 AM

That is HORRIBLE!

ibjoshua

Jul 10, 2002, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by G5orbust

Wonder if that baby still works. I'd be a sweet relic to have.

don't you mean salty?

and while we're on the subject, how many of you first got your hands on the ol 128k original?
i think i was about the same age as DavPeanut and although I loved the Apple ][e s at school my neighbours mac blew me away.

damn it had style

josh

Chryx

Jul 10, 2002, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by skunk
That is HORRIBLE!

How can any computer with a pizza oven in it be horrible? :D

kansaigaijin

Jul 10, 2002, 09:47 AM

return of the centris 610! Stack up those pizza boxes!

I should put in a sig my A+ in Philosophy and my A+ in International Relations, and my rather slow speedskiing personal record of 168km/h.
But I won't.

g3ski

Jul 10, 2002, 01:02 PM

Wow, I'd never seen the Acorn before. That link didn't seem to have many details on the processors, how they linked them etc. Seemed like a fake....but then again any computer with a built-in sink and toaster must be real!

As to the comment about the return of the Centris 610.....I keep wondering if there is a future for pizza box style desktops, rather than Towers? Anyone notice that towers dominate the PC market too. Dell only sells towers to consumers, their Optiplex boxes are "managed PCs" (like there are any that aren't constantly managed ; ) for businesses.

As time has passed, many news stories have feed us New news. Looks like there won't be much of a tower change after all :mad: Maybe a white tower to match the ibook? Maybe room for another CD drive....well just one more week.......

(That gives them more time to copy the Acorn for a G5, 2Ghz, quad processor, combo-pizza box-tower at MWSF 2003.)

-------------
I once got an B+ in calculus.......I was in 3rd grade at the time :eek:

Chryx

Jul 10, 2002, 01:11 PM

Acorn Risc PC's were quite real, I had access to one whilst I was at school..

that "stack" didn't have a system in each box by the way, they were mearly bolt-on case additions.

Somewhere around here I had an original circa 1994 RiscPC brochure, if I find it I'll scan it (google isn't turning much up)

the processors were ARM610 through to StrongARM's btw, much like you'd get in a modern PDA

g3ski

Jul 10, 2002, 01:30 PM

Well Acorn gets the credit for the bolt-on compartmentalized computer, but I hope Apple can do something like that with a lot more style, in a smaller package, and with better, tighter integration. If you could bolt-on extra processors, that would be the bomb.

This would be cool........Buy a basic G4 box, then add a storage compartment with an extra hard drive and a CD burner, then later add another compartment with dual 1.2 Ghz G4 for a total of (4) 1.2Ghz G4s.

I wish I had the time (and skillz) to sus out a drawing of this concept....but think xServe meets the Acorn photo.

-------------
Did I mention my A+ in gym class (all 4 years in high school!)

Chryx

Jul 10, 2002, 02:53 PM

Originally posted by g3ski

I wish I had the time (and skillz) to sus out a drawing of this concept....but think xServe meets the Acorn photo.

Something like (apologies to the authors of the images I cut and pasted to death, I'm an ideas guy, not an implementation guy :/)

http://chryx.shacknet.nu/flatmac.png

?

g3ski

Jul 10, 2002, 03:05 PM

Nice, connecting side by side, I hadn't thought of that. What if it was possible to either build a tower or a desktop. :cool:

Chryx

Jul 10, 2002, 03:08 PM

side by side?

that mockup I just posted is a single machine?

Chryx

Jul 10, 2002, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by g3ski
Nice, connecting side by side, I hadn't thought of that. What if it was possible to either build a tower or a desktop. :cool:

Thinking some more, if it were designed roughly like the Acorn Podules system, you'd be able to pull off the top panel and stick another layer in.. like so

http://chryx.shacknet.nu/flatmacstack.png

and so on.

would be good for people tight on space that wanted two machines (for whatever reason) but didn't want a 19" rack or a pair of towers.

g3ski

Jul 10, 2002, 03:39 PM

I didn't mean that your first mockup was two desktops, I was just thinking out loud. If each part were a module that linked together like legos, then your first mockup could have 1 module for the power, cpu, video card, ram and another module for the HDs and CD-R. They could be stacked or put side by side. Then add another two modules, um another HD and a DVD burner in one, and zip, floppy, and extra FW and USB ports in another. They could also be stacked as a 4 high tower, or 2 by 2 for a thick desktop. Get crazy and put them all side by side for a really wide computer

Ultimately,one of the 4 modules could be extra processors that connect to the main system. Gesh how would they do that? A direct pipeline between the modules to connect the four processors and the motherboard? That seems much too expensive.

g3ski

Jul 10, 2002, 03:44 PM

Here is a way to modularize the components.
Module 1: Motherboard/cpu module, that would have room to add extra processors, up to 4 and the fans needed. The ram would also be in there, and there would be 4-6 slots. The AGP slot and video card would be in there too. Oh yeah, FW and USB here too.
Module 2: The power and PCI module. Room for 4-6 PCI cards. They would have to create a new cable to connect the PCI board to the motherboard.
Module 3: The HD module. This would be flat like on xServe with room for 4 internal HDs, IDE. Maybe removeable like on xServe. Possibly add SCSI drive in this module also and route to the PCI card in the PCI module.
Module 4: The removable drives - room for up to four 5 1/4 CD/DVD, zip, floppy, etc.

Bradcoe

Jul 15, 2002, 08:28 PM

Multiple optical drives all require their own eject button. For one, this doesn't follow apples eject button on the F12 key feature. This is also a reason that those new case design mock ups that copy Xserves style wont work. They only have one eject button. I'm sure apple would come up with a fix that is oh so elegant and obvious to us all AFTER we see it, but i can't think of one, which is why i'm not designing it.

Chryx

Jul 15, 2002, 08:32 PM

mmmdreg

Jul 15, 2002, 09:36 PM

Originally posted by vitruvius
hey, thats fine!
...and it is too symetrical for my taste!

Whats wrong with symmetricity?

iN8

Jul 15, 2002, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by mmmdreg

Whats wrong with symmetricity?

I think that's symmetry.

g3ski

Jul 16, 2002, 02:14 AM

Originally posted by Bradcoe
Multiple optical drives all require their own eject button. For one, this doesn't follow apples eject button on the F12 key feature. This is also a reason that those new case design mock ups that copy Xserves style wont work. They only have one eject button. I'm sure apple would come up with a fix that is oh so elegant and obvious to us all AFTER we see it, but i can't think of one, which is why i'm not designing it.

I don't see the problem. You push a button on the drive and it pops open. You drag the CD/DVD to the trash and it ejects. I already have two optical drive, one just happens to be a FW CD burner. So the solution is that the eject button only works for the main optical drive......or when used in combination with another key, the eject button can work with other drives. option+eject or cmd+eject for the 2nd optical drive. Or option+1+eject for each drive.

I really don't think that the eject key on the keyboard has been holding Apple back from adding a 2nd internal optical to the Yosemite Towers. The eject key is relatively new...since the clear pro keyboard.

Heltik

Jul 16, 2002, 08:54 PM

It seems to me that most people want the following:

1. Revolutionery new design.
2. Practicallity (carrying handles).
3. More Optical drives.
4. Better access to USB's and so forth.

Therefore, why not make a new powermac that comes in 2 parts.

The first part could live under the desk and contain the hard disc drives and mainboard/processors etc.... The second part could live on the work top and look about the same size as a Cube... This would house optical drives, powered using a firewire connector, which would be fast enough, and it could also provide a hub for other devices such as keyboard etc, maybe proper speaker outs... (5.1 of course). And Video out.

We wouldn't have to worry about noise so much because the underdesk unit could be larger and would be shielded by the fact it is under the desk...

It would also appear very elegant from a user point of view.

Maybe this is not feasible... but it's just an idea, and I'd love to know what you guys think.

Ouroboros

Jul 16, 2002, 10:38 PM

I think that whatever Apple does with new towers will use the asthetic of utilitarian to the extreme. I think some of these mockups have the right thing: look at the Xserve, that thing looks like it means business. I think if anything, the new Macs will look like badass metal monsters with a European design flair, meaning using a lot of open space. I just don't see the next revision has having as many curves as the previous El-Capitan. Also, I can't see it having a "Gx" on the side. I think Apple is letting the designs speak for the revision #'s. We know, they know, that the next major revision will make or break the towers, so with that idea, we might just get a revision of the El Capitan until the Gx or Powerx chip is in there. At which point, a new radical design will surface.

g3ski

Jul 18, 2002, 03:06 AM

Originally posted by Heltik
Therefore, why not make a new powermac that comes in 2 parts.

The first part could live under the desk and contain the hard disc drives and mainboard/processors etc...

I have thought about this type of solution a lot since the cube came out. I really wanted it to work, since the cube already has that big old powersource under the desk anyway....so I thought, why not just add some other parts that we never access to the "under the desk" part of the cube

I just don't think it will work, b/c in the end I realized that there is not enough bandwidth to separate enough parts from the motherboard. If you put two optical drives, a FW port, and a USB port, and the vga port on the desk box, then the cable connecting the boxes would need to house the equivalent of 3 firewire cables and a vga cable in order move data at full speed. that would be one thick cable. So there is added expense for all of these cables and a giant cable running between the boxes. All the while, we could have just put two firewire drives and a usb hub on the desk instead.

I would love to hear other ways that splitting the box into two pieces might work out? What else can be stored away under the desk without adding too much cost to the whole design?