Razer's Project Christine

[applebook]

Come on, guys. Of course many successful and revolutionary products were just small concepts at one point, but so is all vaporware. Most of these wild ideas never take off. 

 

Nothing compelling or practical about Christine other than that it's cool, something that custom modders would do. 

[mr moose]

Come on, guys. Of course many successful and revolutionary products were just small concepts at one point, but so is all vaporware. Most of these wild ideas never take off. 

 

Nothing compelling or practical about Christine other than that it's cool, something that custom modders would do. 

all we are saying is that this is your personal opinion, which is fine, but it does not automatically mean the project is a pipedream.

[ThorBuildingLegos]

It seems the Apple fanboys have assembled at the gates... Don your favourite sword and shield, FOR TONIGHT WE FEAST ON FANBOY FLESH!

CHAAAAAARGE...!

[ThorBuildingLegos]

I'm sorry, but all your (fanboy induced) points are made invalid by the mear logistics of this. For me this is the biggest time saver ever. I have clients who work with various subjects, like video, music and 3D rendering. I am their go-to-go for anything related to IT. I clean their PCs/Macs, I perform maintenance tasks, remove various programs that stupid people have installed (like imvu... who still uses imvu? It's spamware deluxe, I say!).

 

But I do this remotely, see? And everytime I hear that I have to go to one of them because of a hardware issue that cannot be fixed remotely or by them selves: I get pissed. Because sometimes I have to travel miles to change a friggin' component like defective RAM, HDDs or so forth. And god help me if I have a mass-install job that day. It's enough to make me uproot my hair sometimes.

 

But if they had a Project Christine machine I'd tell them to have extra CPU/RAM components handy, "just-in-case" (btw: they work with this kind of thing professionally, so redundancies are necessary to prevent loss of productivity).

 

So for me this would be an excellent choice for my clients. I'd advertise the hell out of it. I'd probably have to assemble a few GFX modules my self, since I'm guessing they won't sell them with Nvidia Quadro or AMD FirePro to begin with. But after having setup such a module, or two, I'd tell the client that he can store the extra components somewhere and if anything goes wrong: click-clack, make an easy switch.

 

I know this isn't important to you, as a regular consumer... but perhaps the computer world isn't all about the regualar consumer.

[applebook]

It seems the Apple fanboys have assembled at the gates... Don your favourite sword and shield, FOR TONIGHT WE FEAST ON FANBOY FLESH!

CHAAAAAARGE...!

Most of the people here who are dismissing this concept are pretty anti-Apple. I think that Christine is a terrible idea mainly because it is too much like Apple but without any of the incentives (OS X) and all of the detriments (proprietary hardware that's more expensive than the competition, lack of choices, dependence on a single company). 

 

Your example above makes absolutely no sense. You want extra Christine components lying around, but you can't have extra current PC components available? There are already plenty of enterprise level solutions available anyway. 

 

Stop flaming people as "fanboys" just because their opinions don't align with yours. 

[ThorBuildingLegos]

Most of the people here who are dismissing this concept are pretty anti-Apple. I think that Christine is a terrible idea mainly because it is too much like Apple but without any of the incentives (OS X) and all of the detriments (proprietary hardware that's more expensive than the competition, lack of choices, dependence on a single company). 

 

Your example above makes absolutely no sense. You want extra Christine components lying around, but you can't have extra current PC components available? There are already plenty of enterprise level solutions available anyway. 

 

Stop flaming people as "fanboys" just because their opinions don't align with yours. 

 

Flummery. (scroll to bold for conclusion).

 

No information has been released that corroborates that the machine will be entirely proprietary. They made a point of it. They said they may consider an open standard, which grants consideration and should not be ignored. They know as well as we do that it would be futile to release a new PC "form factor" without allowing third party manufacturers to create components for it. At least in broad terms, they could probably hinge on the niche market. But my stance is purely that if it's to be realized (since it's a prototype) it has to be made out of open standards, albeit supplied by Razer.

 

The benefit of Project Christine (if you have seen Linus's video on Christine or read about it) is that the components are plug'n'play from the outside. No opening of cases, unscrewing of screws, no unplugging of chords or tubes, no removing of RAM or HDDs, ATAPI devices, cooling solution or anything. That's why I wrote "click-clack, make an easy switch": I was probably not very concise about this, but even if my clients do have extra hardware components lying around many of them are to timid in regards to dealing with something like the inside of a computer case and all that lies therin. They have tools on their computers and know how to use them, but most of them (that's to say the ones I do visit) require me to do the "IT guy" work. They don't need components lying around now now since I just bring the components. Why would they need RAM and GPUs and all sorts of hardware goodies without the know how on how to install them? With a extra Project Christine modules lying around they can easily replace it them selves and send me the broken one so I can fix or replace it without ever having to leave my post. Because in the end all they want from me is that their computer(s) "just works", which is what Apple advertised and delivered. The idea of making a computer to be practical for everyone and also being naturally inviting is a satisfactory and commendable thinking. Both Razer and Apple deserve respect in these regards. But the lack of an OS is not a detriment to a computer... only the owner, which can be easily solved in many ways - inviting free market enterprise by allowing other operating systems to be installed.

 

My final point: exactly how is Project Christine similar to Apple? Is it directly similar to the company, to one of their products, a product series or amalgum of some sorts? Has Apple made a machine that I'm unaware of, where you can upgrade virtually everything with an easy plug'n'play install? Is it the latest Mac Pro? In that they also both are black and both have round edges? There are still incredibly big differences, like the plug'n'play aspect that entails taking a module out of the computer and liquid loop from the outside, the idea of having a universal CPU slot where you don't need to throw out a motherboard to try the new AMD CPU or anything else for that matter and the idea that If it were to become an open standard there is tremendous possibility for advancing PC design for the better. That they are closed modules is a mute point. People will tear them apart, it will be known how you replace components within the modules without having to buy a new module. It might be trickier considering the cooling solutions, but I see no other detrimental aspects. Now I'm sounding like I'm advertising for Razer...

 

Phooey. This is flummery, and you know it. You took a defensive stance, sir. You might need to reconsider why you replied in the first place.That my first post was  farcical and childish is understood. But anyone unbiased would just ignore it, or possibly make a mention of it while replying with a rational argument. But you were provoked and decided to argue without bearing the facts in mind and made an unfounded comparison and forgetting the entire selling point of Project Christine. I suggest that you had alterior motives for replying, rather than culling a flame war or adding to the discussion... you could have picked many holes, including the one about not everyone being adept at changing computer components (which I covered previously in this post - but left out in the former post -- it would be futile to leave components with anyone if they don't have the know how to use them), you could have said that I was to vague in some points, but you failed to actually find any angles and wrote in an emotional outburst. We're all guilty of this at one point or another, but to constantly defend a brand or it's followers with nothing but admiration is naive and the clear cut definition of unbiased. I suggest you rethink your stance on technology... it would ensure that you add to the discussion rather than be the first ember of a possible flame war. Even if you do really like Apple products it is not the fault of such behavior. The reaction is purely adversarial and dominant. Not a personal take on what you like, what you don't like. It's written in the words, in how you write and what you write. I have obviously made a point of this. Even if it might not be clear to you... it's still pretty clear to the rest of the forum.

 

But, as I said: I hope you take this in to consideration and don't take it as an insult. This project, or prototype, was meant to be shown, picked apart, appreciated and indeed criticized - but by it's merits and specifications in a rational manner. Saying that it doesn't look good or is anything for you is one thing, but projecting nonexistent negative values is another.

 

(I was a good hypocrite today... yeah!)