The Computer as Art, Friend

Do you throw beautiful things away? Probably not, because if you are like most you enjoy things that have taken some skill and time to create. Take, for instance, this Russian computer case pictured at top. Now, wouldn't you do as much as possible to fix that thing to keep it running? Or would you trash it after three years, the average life of a computer. Take a look at it again; unlike most, doesn't smashing that computer seem like a crime?

It's not a new idea, and we have covered these items of wonder before - bamboo mice and notebooks and monitors, for example, all wonderfully crafted. Fact is, no one likes ugly. Ugly gets destroyed, but treating your machine with respect will extend it's life. And the first step out of ugly is to establish a relationship - maybe start by giving your computer a name. Just try it, right now - take a piece of tape, write a name on it, and affix it to your machine. See if it changes your behavior, or your coworkers. If you want, you might try a laser etching to beautify your pal. We're waiting for the comments to roll in.