Aesthetics

From: Kai Kaltenbach <kaikal_at_MICROSOFT.com>
Date: Sat Jun 19 13:59:20 1999

 -----Original Message-----
From: allisonp_at_world.std.com [mailto:allisonp_at_world.std.com]
Sent: Saturday, June 19, 1999 8:28 AM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: RE: Aesthetics

<Has anyone ever put together a list of handsomely designed computers?
<Not great runners, not powerful, but just aesthetically pleasing? My
<impression is that there probably are not all that many, and that the
<first machines to exclude from such a list are the iMac grotesques.

Hummm. Well I think form and function are related.

My thoughts would suggest...

NorthStar* Horizon (wood cover) as a simple but pleasing to the eye design.

Kaypro Toteables, very functional and simple.

DEC BA123 based machines for simple styling and good mechanical/thermal
engineering.

Epson PX-8 laptop. small package for its time but not industrial looking.

TRS80, TI99, Commodore C64/C128 for evolving the wedge design to the limit.

Others, PDP-10 (KA10), PDP12

Allison

North Star Horizon (love that wood!)

Processor Technology SOL-20 (ditto)

Commodore PET (Jerry Anderson couldn't have designed better*)

Apple /// (love the way it stacks with the ProFile and monitor ///)

IMSAI 8080 (in the movies in those days, REAL computers had flashing lights
and switches!)

Compucolor II (multicolored keyboard and woodgrain "TV set" case)

Atari 800 (nice how the industrial design extends to the external floppy
drives)

Kai


*Jerry Anderson == UFO, Space:1999, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, etc.
Received on Sat Jun 19 1999 - 13:59:20 BST