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Minimalist super modular USB PC

Replace all IDE, SATA, AGP, serial, parralell, network, audio, keyboard ports with USB
  (+9, -2)
(+9, -2)
  [vote for,
against]

You can get everything today as a USB device. USB harddrives and storage, USB to Ethernet/wifi adapters, USB to VGA adapters, etc…

So I propose a minimilast cube shaped PC, containing nothing but a processor, RAM, and one or two USB ports. Optional accessories would include a 4, 8 or 16 port powered USB hub that snaps seamlessly onto the cube PC. Of course, the user is always free to use any external USB hub of their choosing.

ServoMan314, Apr 03 2009

Mac Mini http://www.apple.com/macmini/
even better than a PC, because it doesn't depend on a crap, virus ridden, operating system [xenzag, Apr 03 2009]

[link]






       I don't know if USB is fast enough for everything, but I'm sure there are applications where would this would be cool. Slap on a terabyte USB drive and a wifi adapter and you have a nice tiny remote network storage device... Bun!
Alpharaul, Apr 03 2009
  

       "one or two"? I'd say to be useful, you'd need a minimum of 8. Like the idea, though. [+]
gisho, Apr 03 2009
  

       Baked by Apple years ago, in the form of the Mac Mini - see link.
xenzag, Apr 03 2009
  

       [xenzag] - neither does a PC, unless you're using "PC" to mean "Windows machine only". This would be a cool hobbyist/small business product, in which context it would almost certainly have to run Linux, for lack of money to throw at Microsoft.
gisho, Apr 03 2009
  

       //it would almost certainly have to run Linux//   

       excellent point gisho, I should have mentioned that originally.
ServoMan314, Apr 04 2009
  

       I can see where this would have applications, but I don't see it as a viable future for general purpose consumer computing.   

       - USB is a CPU-driven bus; every transaction over USB requires processor intervention, and thus takes away cycles which ought to be available for other things.   

       - I don't agree that the main system GPU should be offloaded to USB, for bandwidth, speed and latency reasons.   

       - The new point-to-point motherboard buses are far superior.   

       - USB networking can be problematic.   

       - Lastly, adding USB to every device makes each one more expensive than a bare, internal device.
BunsenHoneydew, Apr 19 2009
  

       ...but on the plus side it would make it much easier to take the computer apart while it's running in order to re-enact that HAL9000 "My mind is going" scene.
hippo, Apr 20 2009
  

       [Ian], Are you the elder or younger Ensor?
wjt, May 30 2017
  

       [Ian] It's a fictional surname.
wjt, May 31 2017
  
      
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