Post your comments and questions on the article: An Anthropological Look Into The Case Modders Domain

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ActiveTuning - Partner & Director Of Sales & Marketing

I made my statement and was "different" last year by NOT having a case. No, it wasn't a "rack" or a "node"...it was my main computer. People came in, looked around, and just sorta gravitated and staired...then asked if that was my computer. It was my POS Cyrix machine that I had been abusing for about three years . I still had the motherboard tray, but other than that, it was all scattered about my desk.

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paul@pleaseohpleasedontspamme.slcentral.com
A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems -- P. Erdos

I think some of the comments Kitty made were a bit harsh. Just because someone puts in a window kit, a light, some stock window etch, whatever. Doesn't make them stupid fucks or anything.

For myself, I just ordered a window kit, a cold cathode light, some rounded cables, and yes even a window etch. The reason I did this was because, I don't have a ton of money to drop on a new case if I screw it up doing something on my own, and I'm not that skilled with a Dremel, but I still want to make my case look different. Now I'm not going to claim "my case is a work of art" or anything, I mean, I understand that my case is not going to be original to all the serious case modders, however it's new and different to me, and also to 99% of the computer users out there.

I find it really amusing that you say you don't care what other people think about your mods, and you do it for yourself, etc. but then bash all the clusterfucks that copy ideas. Maybe they don't look at case modding the same way (as an art form), maybe they don't have the Dremel skills, maybe they don't have the money, and maybe they don't give a shit what you think about their mods either.

I don't look at my case as a way to express myself, however, I do like messing around with my hardware, overclocking, tweaking, etc. Hell I've been messing around with my watercooling setup for over a week trying to get it to work right (replaced the vinyl tubing with silicone). Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here is that, I want a window to show off the inside of my case, I want a light and rounded cables because they look cool. I don't care about expressing myself, I don't even know what I'd express if I wanted to. Though maybe I just suck at artistic things (though I could claim my code is art... .

If you do any case modding you are already in a fairly small subset of computer users, now you've basically called all but the elite case modders idiotic sheep. You're like the Linux guru who has nothing but disdain for anyone who has less linux knowledge then themselves.

One final comment, I REALLY hate the line "she's really nice, just don't piss her off!". I mean first of all this is the interent, what can she do anyway? Second, why would you want to be known as a nasty person? I mean if someone is baselessly flaming you, then fine, getting nasty makes sense, but if you are trying to have a constructive discussion, it's retarded.

Anyway, as usual my post ends up being a rambling jumble of what are supposed to be supportive arguments. Also, I'm not personally attacking Kitty or anything, I'm not saying I think she's a bitch, I'm saying that my opinion of her opinion of non-elite case modders is very rude and arrogant.

I have to agree with Unregistered on this one. Kitty is completely wrong.

I painted my case about four months ago (medium blue), and I think it looks "okay". It's a fairly decent paint job that I used spray-paint to achieve. It has globs of paint "imperfections", there's a human hair embedded in the clear coat, and the occasioinal thumbprint makes its appearance on the top!

It may be a crap, but it's MY crap! I did it, and I'm the only one of my friends who had the time, money, patience and determination to see the entire job through. It might not be perfect, but that's okay. Even though I've done a crappy paint job, and no other form of modding, I've raised my "coolness factor" FAR beyond that of the average consumer (even the average gamer).

UNREBORN
http://www.geocities.com/unreborn/

P.S. I really don't like the idea of getting a Dremel blade stuck in my forearm. I was seriously considering putting a window in my case, but thanks to you Kitty, I've decided not too. I don't think that I need to BLEED in order to make my case look good. Call me a wimp, but I'm the one who's still conscious.

howdy! Glad someone felt like posting a comment here today! I was starting to wonder if people were reading this....

anyways, onto the comments:
Kitty can be harsh, she and I would be the first to agree on that. But you ain't seen nothing till you've seen me pissed, so be nice. You're right, it doesn't make them stupid fucks, initially. They start at the level of "non-imaginative modders." They graduate to stupid fucks when they say "Look at me, I did this pre-mod stuff and I'm 1337 and c00l!"

So you're a llama?

Neither do a lot of the case modders. I have very little liquid money coming my way I can use on modding, I buy modding stuff when I can afford to. As for the dremel bit, do you think ANY of us were born skilled with a dremel? Exactly. I sucked as much as you probably do. Know how I got good (as did most other modders) USE IT! My first case looks like ass, but I'm still proud of it as it was the first thing I midded. Subsiquent mods have been a LOT more detailed and intricate as I got better. A couple of cases I'm working on now are SO insanely cool, unfourtinately they're a couple months from completeion (unless x-mas break is nice to me.)

you got me there. Oh, wait, no you didn't. I don't care about what others think of my work, because my work is generally unique and personalized to what I like and what I Wanted to come up with. I have this thing I call "free thought", I think up these things called "ideas" and I apply them to what I Want to do. If case modding isn't an artform, what exactly would you call it? (mind you I'm talking about aesthetic mods, not functional ones)

If you're watercooling and you're trying to show that off, you're doing more than a random 'clusterfuck' kitty describes. you put time, effort and thought into that, as even a kit for watercooling takes balls to pull off well. you've got a reason for that.

Now you';re making yourself look dumb, if you re-read the beginning here, I specifically state I'm writing about the core group of hardcore / dedicated modders of the community. As for the linux gurus, I can't say, I don't know any.

Heh. Same goes for me. I'm a really nice guy, helpful, informative and a literal well of useless and useful knowledge in the proper fields. Ask me something stupid and watch me rip someones head off for it. (Ask Drool-Boy about me, heh. I was such a thorn in his side till eh banned me... those 6 times.) Kitty isn't a nasty person and neither am I. you just have to make sure you don't ask something lame, idiotic and stupid and you're safe.

hmmm, i'm 3 minutes late for my shift again, more to be posted tonight.

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HAHAHA, Work's fun.
Then you put in 65 hours in 5 days. What the hell was I thinking?

I didn't think I wasn't being nice (that sentence didn't come out right, but oh well...), if it came across that way it was probably because some of the comments did make me angry, but I'm not trying to start a pointless flame war.

As far as the "non-imaginative modders" label goes, that's fine, I have no problem with that label, because when it comes to anything artistic, I'm usually not that imaginative. I was never good at painting, making things with clay, drawing, etc. Maybe I'll try harder at some point, but not right now...

Well, I'm don't usually go around saying I'm 1337 and c00l for anything, let alone case mods, but I can see your point. If someone takes your idea, rips it off and is trying to claim it as their own, or that they are the most amazing case modder to ever live, I can understand that you wouldn't like them.



You know I hear that term all the time (especially on CS servers), what exactly do you mean in this context? Also, broad, generalized attacks on people's personality's usually just escalate confrontations (not that this is really a confrontation, I've just been reading a lot of pshych stuff lately...)



I'll drop the financial argument, since I don't think we want to start comparing expenses or anything... Well some people may have some innate skill with tools, but again, I understand your point. Perhaps it's just that I don't want to jump in and potentially massacre my case. If it looked like ass I probably wouldn't much like it, and I'd want to get a new case (which I don't have the money for...). Maybe if I can get some practice with a cheap case, or just on some sheet metal, then I wouldn't feel as nervous carving up my good one... But right now I don't feel up to taking the risk.

I look forward to seeing them... SO I CAN COPY THEM!!! MUAHAHAHA (sorry, my attempt at humour... )



Exactly what I was saying though, what if other people don't care that you think they're copying, what if the stuff that's out there is what they like? If the goal isn't something unique and personalized, but just something that looks nice, and that they did themselves (you may disagree with this, but buying a window kit and installing it yourself is kind of like buying a baybus kit, you still have to put it together, someone is just giving you all the parts you need) that they can be proud of. Obviously experienced case modders wouldn't be pround of installing a window kit, but people who are just getting into it probably would.



I find your sarcasm fresh and witty! (you'll no doubt slam me for this, but I couldn't resist ). I'm not saying case modding, on the level you and the people in this article are doing isn't an art form, just that I don't consider myself installing a window kit art or self expression (and I'm sure you would agree with that). I like how it looks on other PCs I've seen, and as far as case mods go, is fairly easy (I hope anyway...), so I think it's a good place for me to start.



Well I'm not really trying to show off the watercooling... I mean, I like looking at it and I think it's cool, but the computer is in the basement, and all the people that have seen it don't understand it, or think I'm nuts. Well, actually I probably should have put more thought into it than I did in the first place and maybe I wouldn't have the problems I'm having now, but that's another story. BTW in case you care, it wasn't a kit, I got a DD MAZE2, Eheim 1048 and the heatercore from a 95 F250. I'm not boring my own waterblock out of a chunk of copper or anything though so it's not like it was that different from a kit anyway...



I'm not talking about what you've said, this is what I was talking about:



If that was what you understood, then I must be really dumb and you'll have to explain to me how I was making myself look dumb.

If you say maybe 5% of all computer users are case modders of some type (I obviously have no idea how accurate that is) and that 95% of that 5% (from Kitty's comment) are worse than the other 95% of people (non-case modders), then that means that only 0.25% of all people with computers are not morons or whatever you want to call them.



I'm not going to claim to be any better most of the time, but what questions are stupid is really a matter of perspective. A case modding novice like myself would probably ask a lot of questions that you would find as dumb as I found tech support calls when I was doing that, or as dumb as questions about where {}'s go in a simple C++ program from someone who was supposed to have been learning C++ for weeks (long story...). I hope I haven't made to many stupid statements in your opinion, but try to think back to when you started case modding... Though if you're as successful as I usually am at remembering when I started playing with computers and programming, then I'm probably in for some rough treatment....



Well, depending on how bad you thrash me in your next post, I may or may not be looking forward to it...

Neil

oops, everything was in bold... oh well...

Bold is good... It's a sign of authority....


Of course, a handle works too.

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Hey. What kind of party is this? There's no booze and only one hooker. -- Bender (Futurama)

Hehe! Its been a while since I've actually had someone with the courage to actually respond to a lengthy post of mine! Congrats! You're gaining points already (no that's not a joke, I'm totally serious)

nobody said anything about me being artistic. Hell, I've never called myself artistic. Imaginative? Hell yeah. Artistic? pffft! My more creative (and cooler things) have not been so artistic as they're just "you just did WHAT to that computer?" My artistic ability goes as far as comming up with a cool picture I rip off of someones website (or something) and tweak a bit, print it really big and trace it onto a panel. Then when I paint, its a SINGLE color job. (maybe 2 if the front panel is different.) Artistic ability isn't a necessity to modding, imagination is.

wether or not you believe this, I was actually just joking there. I had no useful reason to put that there, course I had notthing better to put there either. (nobody ever said I was bright)

Fair enough, ignoring money, Dremeling is all practice. I've butchered some cases before. (some I will NEVER show the public again) Tip: Get some cheap ass 30$ thing when you start modding, the metal is thinner so it cuts quicker, and when (not if) you butcher the first one or two cases you can chalk it up to "learning experience." But believe it or not, if you spend a week hacking your case, even if it isn't "great" you'll feel proud that you had the courage to do something few people would. Then you'll just learn from what you did, and see what you need to do for the next time!

I've heard worse, but I would think twice about quitting your day job.

If you don't want personalized, why bother modding in the first place? BTW: A baybus is different than an easthetic mod. You can't really do much with a baybus outside of what you buy. Different switches or diff colored LEDs maybe, but thats about it. I have less of a beef with those than I do with pre-mods. Windows are supposed to be cool and there is a LOT of possibilities you have with a window to make it look cool. Don't buy it? Ask Jesder about that. (another really REALLY awesome modder, I've learned a shitload from him.) www.jesder.com holy shit can that man dremel. I don't think most people could match that (even with practice) but he shows you what is possible. I'm working on a window now, I'm about 6 hours into cutting it, and I'm about... 10% done with it. NOBODY has ever tried a window as intricate and detailed as this one. unfourtinately due to my assinine work weeks I get little done.

Actually, you took my sarcasm better than most would. Touche. As a matter of fact, I almost completely agree with everything you said there. (don't you just LOVE the almost?)

You don't consider it self expression, you just though it looked cool so you did it. K. You though it looked cool, so you expressed that part of your opinion and yourself by doing it to your computer, right? Correct me if I'm wrong....

So you went and installed a window, bought and installed round cables, and who knows what else just because? I find that hard to believe. Tell me you never had a friend over and the first time they saw it went "Oh, thats SO cool!" and you never got a huge ass kick out of it. As far as the kit vs parted out watercooling, I have no prefrences, really. Its all cool

Actually your initial 5% is WAY overestimated (but whatever, its unimportant.) Yes a VERY small portion of users actually fall into my definition of "dedicated modders" I was writing this paper about. When kitty was writing she was talking about modders in general, not just the dedicated ones.

to illustrate what she's talking about, Here's an example. A while ago a member of the [H]ardforum got a case put into the Maximum PC Rig of the Month section. He had an Antec SX 1030 full tower case. Granted he did an EXCELLENT job on it, the thing looked absolutely gorgeous. (And the case originally was a dream box to own. The Antec SX series are SO sweet.) But after that got shown around, within 2 weeks I had seen 4 people EXACTLY mimic his work (or, well, try to as they were idiots and couldn't get it to look as good.) Then after a month or two and seeing another 15 of these go by I was royally sick of the copying. So I started flaming the idiots for a complete lack of right brained thought processes. (right brain= the creative side.) They're not modders, they're rip off artists. pure plagerism. [Rant Off]

I won't say I haven't been there. But I will say I wasn't an ass about being there. When I was learning this hobby, I read the modding boards at a couple of places for an hour or two a day for like 3 months straight to learn the shit. I didn't even attempt a mod for months after I saw it. But once I did, well, I was hooked. (Yes I can remember this well, you're only talking about 2 years or so back now )

I don't mind questions from newbies. I like helping them learn the trade, its a blast to see what a new mind can come up with. I do, however, LOATHE the people who are too damned lazy to read the 3 posts at the top of the page that say "Stick: FAQ Read Me Before Posting", "Sticky: Common Questions Answered", and stuff like that. They hop in, post the question and run away. When all the time, if they had read the FAQ they'd have gotten their damned answer. THAT pisses me off. (I like to rant.)

Hope that wasn't too bad for you, I'm actually not trying to start a flame war, if you want to see me do that, read the "Arcanum" thread. (I think it was Page 2 or 3 I made a HUGE flame.)

-Thrasher

yeah, well I have never posted regularly, even back in the BBS days (they're gone forever! <sniff> <sniff>) I would post a bunch for one topic, and then nothing for a while. So by the time the next topic comes along on this site that I have some meaningful/constructive comments on (and not "1st post! w00t!") I'll have probably forgot whatever username/password I'd used, so I don't bother.

I was called a coward on the Firingsquad board one time for not signing up for a completely anonymous account by I guy called XrangerX... man did I have a good laugh...

thats why I have 2 usernames and passwords I use everywhere. I don't need to remember much

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HAHAHA, Work's fun.
Then you put in 65 hours in 5 days. What the hell was I thinking?

Actually when the posts I make are as long as they usually are, I don't have a problem writing long replies to long posts



That's a good point, I hadn't thought of it that way... Though from the number of coats of paint and clear coat that I've read some people use, I think some artistic/painting skills have to come into play.



Ahh, that's not a problem then, I've had that happen to me before...



Well I'll have to try think of some "ideas" and then next time I have some money to burn (tax return time perhaps...) I'll look at picking up a cheap case or two...



agreed



Hmmm, this is kind of the trouble I'd get myself in when I'd write philosophy essays... I'd start out with one point of view and then end up convincing myself otherwise....

I'd say modding is personalizing your computer, however, how much self-expression is involved I'm not sure. I may just be arguing symantics (sp?) but, I want to install the window, light and cables (all blue) because I like how it looks, not to impress others and not because I want it to reflect some aspect of my personality (I would probably be really depresed then or something).

I am going to have to cut up the window a little bit for it to fit around the quick release handle on the case side, but the main point of the window (at this stage anyway) is to show the inside of the case (which I think looks cool) and not to neccesarily look cool in and of itself.



Well, I can't disagree with that, perhaps I'm interpreting the "self-expression" as being something deeper than what you do. If you're saying that, thinking something looks cool, and doing it for that reason is self-expression, then you'd be correct. However, I'm interpreting it as being something more personal.... I can't think of a good way to explain this... I'll have to think about it some more... Maybe once I've thought about it I'll agree with you



No, my friends all think I'm I really big geek. Most of them have either built their own computers, or could if they had the money. Some of them have doen tech support for a couple of years, but none of them have ever done any case mods and they think I'm nuts, or call me a "ricer" (I've got a Honda Civic, though it doesn't have huge chrome rims and a 6" exhaust or anything) when I tell them what I'm thinking of doing.



Actually I've got an Antec SX1030 (not the B model though)

Well, I suppose I'm arguing degrees of this. I would say that if they were trying to copy his design then, yes, that is pretty lame. Especially if they have the skills to (at least come close to) his design, they should probably try and think of something for themselves, or at least not then go posting it everywhere... However, I would not agree that simply buying a window kit is a rip off or copying. I mean, yes the windows are going to be the same size/shape unless the people cut them, but it's not like it has instructions that say "for case XYZ, cut the hole 5" up and 5" from the back, blah blah blah". So while, the window is the same, the person isn't trying to copy someone, it's just that they don't want to be trying to cut up a piece of acrylic.

I know it's not a very solid argument or anything, and maybe I'm just trying to stop myself from being labeled a copier, but that's what I think about it.

This point sort of fits in here, but it was just something I wanted to point out.... If people like me who are using a window kit (to start anyway) are considered "clusterfucks" by Kitty (and other case-modder guru's?) and are considered some kind of uber-geek by regular people.... something about that just seems wrong to me...



I don't think I could read stuff for 3 months without doing something, I'm too impatient Which also leads to a lack of planning sometimes...



Yeah, when I was posting on overclockers.com regularly there would always be someone saying "WHAT'S THE BEST SOCKET A COOLER?!" and not read the other 100 posts like that. But sometimes, there were differences in their setup that did make a difference (differences that made a difference?...). It's just that that was only about 1/25 of those posts...



No, not bad at all. Maybe if I'm not too busy at work I'll read it sometime, but I've got to get some sleep I hope the arguments I made still made sense, I usually proof-read my posts (especially long ones) at least a couple of times over, but I've only re-read this once so it may be a little more incoherent than usual.

Neil

Did I scare you off with my long posts?

not hardly I just didn't have time to reply when you posted and managed to forget about this thread. I need more free time.

Well, there's 2 different painting skills you're talking about there. There's the artistic kind where you paint fancy stuff and all that sorta thing. (i'd be SO dead if I tried that...) Then there's a nice clean flat spraypaint job. Much easier to do. Thats just a little biut of time and patience at work ANYONE can do it with a little practice.



heh heh heh....

Sefl expression isn't necessarially a big deep sorta thing, it can be a very simple thing, too.

[b] If they only call you a ricer, then you're lucky. Some of mine have tried to have me comitted. They were saying something about "open containers of water in a computer case is a bad idea." I'm not quite sure what they mean, but, well, so's life....