Dev Hardware takes a look at the aesthetics of home desktop computer systems.

Computer cases are a bit like fish; they make for nice decorations when they’re pleasing to look at. (When they’re not, you stick them in the corner, and hope they don’t die.) Up until about six years ago, home desktop computer case designs were all pretty much the same: beige, white, or even black boxes. With the introduction of the iMac in 1998, Apple set off a revolution in the basic premise of computer design. Form, it seems, was to be as important as function. With desktop computers being seen more as furniture and entertainment centers than workstations, it's no wonder that the way a computer looks has started to become just as important as what it does. But who should really get the credit for getting the computer design ball rolling? And where can we expect those designs to be in the future?

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