"because i can"

[richmandudeus]

Recently, i have came out of hiding from the public about being a modder. I'm no master but no novices here either. I have been ridiculed for all the things that i have been doing to other peoples cases (and getting paid for it hehe :D ). The computer department and other fellow pc knowers at my work give me a hard time with such things like:

Why don't you just get a good case?
Why the hell would you do that?
Why would you put a sub and speakers into the case when you won't get such good left and right seperation?
What the hell are the wheels for?
Why in the hell did you put a window on your harddrives, powersupply, and cd-rom drives?
Why use an old beat up beige case when you can just buy a new one with all the good stuff on it already?
Those ideas are all pointless and stupid; why would you do that at all?

Well to all those put downs and questions that people with such little imagination or just don't grasp the meaning of the words custom-mod, I speak on behalf of all modders new and old, experienced or novice, even the ones that have great and boundless ideas but don't have the tools or means to do it, I answer all those peoples questions with a simple answer...

"BECAUSE I CAN."

my 2 cents;)

[Zeus]

hear hear

[Crimson Sky]

I think we can all appreciate your candor on this subject--thanks for sharing with us!--I'll quote some of my own thoughts on the subject from my book:

"I receive a lot of e-mail from beginning modders searching for a project theme, and I always give them the same answer: The most interesting case mods are the ones that draw inspiration from your life experiences and visual stimuli you enjoy most. Ideas for modding projects may stem from your occupation, a favorite film, a significant life event, and anything from the profound to the outright absurd.

If you spend some time browsing the Internet, you’ll find amazing case mods coming out of workshops, garages, dining rooms, and dorm rooms from every corner of the globe. Customizing computers has become a worldwide phenomenon, with people from Alaska to Australia flexing their modding muscles by hacking, chopping, tweaking and morphing their rigs to express their lifestyles and passions. PCs have become the new household appliance. We depend on them so heavily for career, education and entertainment, that it’s simply an evolutionary given that we would one day begin molding and shaping them into works of art—vehicles for truly personal computing.

Case modding is our expression of, and response to, the inevitability of technological advancement. We are taming the hi-tech beast to help preserve, in some small way, our own fragile humanity"

-Paul Capello
"The MaximumPC Guide to Extreme PC Mods" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789731924/ref=ase_thebestcase06-20/102-7449464-3640123?s=books&v=glance&n=283155&tagActionCode=thebestcase06-20)

makes a great Christmas Gift!! lol :D

[Rankenphile]

Wow, Paul, that was very well said. I think that that is a very large source of the modding surge that we see happening - as computers become more and more a part of our daily lives, we have more and more desire to have them reflect our personalities and lifestyles. We as modders take the cold, metallic frameworks that adorn our desks and workspaces and project our own identities on them - seeking a way to find an aspect of humanity in the lifeless.

It is the same as the ancient Egyptians carving stone into human shapes, or an architect designing a house to reflect a style beyond it's basic function. Where we do not wish to adapt to our surroundings to make us feel welcome, we adapt our surroundings to meet our needs.

[OvRiDe]

Absolutely. Its just like alot of the other industries and passions. Hotrods and import cars are an excellent example. Sure there are those that are perfectly happy with a completely stock vehicle, then there are those that endevour for the extreme. So I bet in most cases there are folks out there that completely miss the point of a modded PC but have their own vice instead. It just goes to show this isn't a plain vanilla world, and I like it that way!!

Just my Opinion of Course.. :)

[Crimson Sky]

Case Modding also goes to show that amazing things can be done on small budgets--$50 worth of rattle can paint, sandpaper, an ounce of determination and creativity can get your rig on the front page of a major PC magazine.

[crenn]

Very nice, I wanted to go into case modding mainly as a hobby, but also to 'fix' my dad's computer problem where his Micro-ATX case only has one fan, I wanted to mod it for him. He had a very simple answer for me? What's the point? Some people just don't understand the reasons for modding a case, but there are some reasons for it, whether it's a visual or even a cooling reason, most of the time, there is a reason for it.

I have several ideas on case modding, except due to the fact I'm currently without an income (as I'm still in school) which means I can't build any of my ideas, I still like to design them (although with me, I have more designs in my head....... my head hurts XD) so that maybe another time when I do have an income, I can do it.

Ran, you also do know sometimes houses are built fancy just to show off? Computer's aren't really a nessesity, but more of something to do, same as case modding.

Any way, that's how I see it, and of course, everyone has their own opinion, which is why each case mod is unique.

[DaveW]

I'm trying to get my dad to see what it's all about by getting him to do a case with me. When i first suggested it he was like "No way" but i think he'll help me out anyway. I hope so; he's the one with the garage! My mum allready wants to kill me for all the empty cases kicking around, I figure if i mod some, they'll look nice and she'll moan less. ;) There's a lot of people who ask the "why" question but those people always come around, it wasn't that long ago that people asked "why take a car when you can walk", now everyone drives everywhere.-Dave

[richmandudeus]

Sweet revenge...

The same co-worker that has been bothering me about modding has been following my work (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1862) and told me that he started a mod of his own and tried to bet me that he would finish his mod first. I just thought to myself, all that talk against modding and now he is doing it himself pretending that he isn't doing it cause he wants to but suposedly that he is doing it to prove me wrong. Riiiiiiiiiiiight8) ... pc case modding isn't a privalige nor is it a right, it's part of who you are.

[Zeus]

you know what they say rich, emulation is the sincerest form of flattery

[Rankenphile]

you know what they say rich, emulation is the sincerest form of flattery

Meh. I still prefer cash. :D

[Hasbios]

well spoken my friend well spoken. im new to the whole modding thing and im really enjoying the work on my warbox case. even though its one snag after another:P

[Custom]

Recently, i have came out of hiding from the public about being a modder. I'm no master but no novices here either. I have been ridiculed for all the things that i have been doing to other peoples cases (and getting paid for it hehe :D ). The computer department and other fellow pc knowers at my work give me a hard time with such things like:

Why don't you just get a good case?
Why the hell would you do that?
Why would you put a sub and speakers into the case when you won't get such good left and right seperation?
What the hell are the wheels for?
Why in the hell did you put a window on your harddrives, powersupply, and cd-rom drives?
Why use an old beat up beige case when you can just buy a new one with all the good stuff on it already?
Those ideas are all pointless and stupid; why would you do that at all?

Well to all those put downs and questions that people with such little imagination or just don't grasp the meaning of the words custom-mod, I speak on behalf of all modders new and old, experienced or novice, even the ones that have great and boundless ideas but don't have the tools or means to do it, I answer all those peoples questions with a simple answer...

"BECAUSE I CAN."

my 2 cents;)

I have to agree with you most of my college chums think modding and splashing out on such a powerful PC but expensive a complete waist of time I just say they have no imagination etc!!

[Cannibal23]

ya and they told columbus that sailing arround to prove the world wasnt flat was stupid and useless too. to tell a modder that case modding is stupid or pointless it to brodcast your lack of creativity and ignorance to anyone with any kind of artistic talent. you might as well say why paint or sculpt or write books or screen plays. yes lets as a race just give up createing anything as a whole and become as bland and uncreative as our beige cold pc cases.

we do this because its an oppertunity to put our mark on something unique. why do we put posters up? how come we carry pictures of our friends arround with us? how come you got some personal spcific thing sitting on your desk at work? it all comes down to the same thing. i want the world to see that this is mine and like me there is none other exactly like it.

[MisterChief]

ya and they told columbus that sailing arround to prove the world wasnt flat was stupid and useless too. to tell a modder that case modding is stupid or pointless it to brodcast your lack of creativity and ignorance to anyone with any kind of artistic talent. you might as well say why paint or sculpt or write books or screen plays. yes lets as a race just give up createing anything as a whole and become as bland and uncreative as our beige cold pc cases.

we do this because its an oppertunity to put our mark on something unique. why do we put posters up? how come we carry pictures of our friends arround with us? how come you got some personal spcific thing sitting on your desk at work? it all comes down to the same thing. i want the world to see that this is mine and like me there is none other exactly like it.

Well that is the esence of art, isn't it? Expressing your creactivity through a medium and claiming that "Hey world, this is mine; I worked to create this, and I am proud." Of course, it helps if it looks good 8) ... Case modding is not only a form of art, but it can have practical applications as well. Let us consider early 90's computer cases and compare them to the designs of today. Cases of today, with unique designs, forms of cooling, and all sorts of shapes and sizes did not surface on their own. There were computer users out there who did not want the bland uniformity all computer cases back then inherently had. They dared to be different. There's my 2 cents.

[jrabbitb]

Because I can be a newb and not care,
because i can design something that i like,
because i can succeed where others have failed,
because i can be part of a community,
because i can be artistic and expressive,
because i can spend money that i should save,
because i can, because i can!

hey guys, i just joined the forums. I'm working on an idea i've had for a few years now but havnt had the time/money/ability to even attempt it till now. It's nice to have found a place where i feel i fit in.

good luck to everyone on doing it because we can.

Keep the ideas flowing and the innovation comming.

[Omega]

Indeed.

Why do we mod?

Because we can. =]

[The Modfather]

Indeed.

Why do we mod?

Because we can. =]

Roll the bones.

[azminisk8r]

on an earlier note, it truly is amazing what people can do with little to no funds, D@$% YOU CHILD LABOR LAWS lol

[Drum Thumper]

I'm very lucky in one area--a fiancé who is very supportive of me when it comes to anything I care to put my mind to.

I'm not doing this to prove anything to anyone except myself, and I'm very much my own worst critic.

Plus, it's a lot of fun to play with electronics, power tools, paint...:D

[Airbozo]

Old thread but I have to chime in on the SO comments. I was playing a round of Delta Force Extreme (yah old game, but the coop play is cool) when she came home from a wine tasting event with one of her girlfriends. She poked her head in the door and says; "Don't you have work to do on your Bubble Gum Mod?" Hehe I love her for keeping me in line... She enjoys the creativity of the build and the flash of the finished product. I caught her forwarding links of Paul's Doom3 video to some friends and she wrote it down to have her kids check it out (not able to from school, but they can from home). She has even gotten one of the teachers on her campus interested since he heads up the animation magnet on her campus. This addiction to tearing things apart and making them (look) better is contagious.

[simon275]

My dad and one of my close friends currently support me with modding and keep me in check.

"No Simon you cannot cool your PC with liquid mercury"

[DaJe]

At least you could know how hot your computer is running ;)

[simon275]

Plus if there was a leak the Mercury would cut blow holes and side panels for me in the aluminum of the case

[Drew]

Because (my wife says) I can.



Oh yus.