Discussions

Could a computer be assembled in the same way we build simple, cheap furniture? 

I think so.  All we need is a little more plastic, aluminum, silicon, and imagination.  Since the real Ikea is too busy with furniture, I thought I’d take the gig.  Here’s a gallery of how it might look and work together.

Above:  This is a computer.  It is available in many colors.  The chassis and motherboard are 1 unit, for the sake of simplicity.  No assembly required.  When you open the lid to add parts, it shuts itself off.  Computers come with power cords. It is cheap, elegant, silent, waterproof, and reusable. 

Video cards perform graphical tasks in a computer.  They have many vents and fans inside, as they often run hot.  All video cards we carry work with all monitors, because video cards don’t have any video output ports on them.  Instead, a standard “output” adapter handles the hook-up ports, so you can grab one of those cheap near the monitor section that matches.

The processor is the brain of the computer.  It goes inside.  It kind of looks like a cooking pot, doesn’t it?  To install it, simply open your computer and find the CPU slot.  Use the handles and press down to lock it in.  We offer many speeds.  Processors are always changing, so be sure your CPU-model works with your MB-model before you check out.

A hard disk drive keeps your files and reads.  They are often sold in pairs.  The one up top always keeps all of your programs, while the one below it will keep all of your personal files.  The computer will tell you if you put them in the wrong place.

To install them, simply open your computer and slide them in like drawers.  You’ll hear a clicking sound when are installed.  We only sell them blank or with an operating system pre-installed in Small, Medium, and Large storage capacity standards. They are easy to remove and copy. 

Optionally, you can buy a four-pack which includes a Blu-Ray and DVD writer, or you can buy those as a two pack later.  Either way, it’s all designed to fit.

Don’t forget your monitor!  Just pick a size and pick a stand.  You can hang them or put them on your desk.  We offer a variety of legs and frames around the screen.

Ok, ok.  I’ll stop.  Seriously though, how realistic is this? 

I think it’s quite practical and must be easier to pull off than, say, jamming millions of circuits into a wafer of silicon.  All it would take is a computer company to put some resources into making cheap, standardized housings for computer parts and let people click them together.  The result should be larger, better ventilated computers.  The first generation models should be beefy, but absurdly cheap.  If the concept sticks, the long-term result would yield consumer-ready PC components straight from the chip design houses that just click together.  We would just need someone bold enough to pull the global community of engineers by the hair and make them care about the practicality of handling computer components with our fingers.  Enough with the fragile circuit boards!

Just as Ikea made the average shopper a handyman, perhaps Asus could make the average computer shopper become the technician.