Hi David,

[Thus spake david begley unto Paul Edwards:]
 
 db>> ...so NetComm's been using it for a few years now.  Without actually
 db>> having owned a USR, I assume that USR have been using the same
 db>> case style for a lot longer and don't see any point/need in changing.

Styling is a funny thing. Perhaps the Courier casing has been around for
such a long time that's it's become part of the Courier image. You know,
"it's not a Courier if it doesn't come with the black wedge casing".
Cars seem to be the same way e.g. how all Mercs (except the new E
class's front end), BMs, Lexuses have the same basic styling.

 db> I don't mind the look of the new Banksia MyFastModems, either - not
 db> too far removed from the NetComm style, but in
 db> "way-cool-dark-computer-colours".  :-) 
 PE> I can't imagine the case costing a lot of money whichever way
 PE> they design it, so they may as well make it look smart.

All a matter if personal opinion. I had a Spirit II (really!) and still
have a Microcom Deskporte Fast EP before I got my Courier. The Courier
casing looks far better than either the Spirit's or the EP's. It's also
more solidly built.

The EP (not the LCD model) had cheap plastic casing, and it didn't look
good. At least the EP performed amazingly well, which more than
compensated for its lack of design flair.

As for the Spirit (the Viper and II have the same casing apart from
colour and front panel), all I can say is that the casing was functional
e.g. stacks well. Style and Spirit don't go together.

BTW, I do agree that the Netcomm M34F casing and the Banksia MyFastModem
casing look great.

However, I don't like the Netcomm Roadster's outer design (especially
the transparent plastic version). The Maestro's tower design seems a
good space-saving idea.

 db> As I said, some companies (eg., USR) probably don't see any need or
 db> point since their modems are selling anyway.  "Style" is
just part of
 db> the NetComm image, I guess - like the infamous "marble staircase". 
 db> :-)

Who can forget the connection between Netcomm and marble? I was waiting
for a Netcomm case to come with a faux marble plastic exterior :-) Like
those Logitech mice with the "marble, wood, leather" plastic casing.

 db> A lot of modems these days look exactly the same way modems did back
 db> in the '80s - not nice at all.  Banksia and NetComm are two companies
 db> who have changed the appearance of their modems, but compaines like
 db> InterLink and USR don't seem to care. 

I've noticed that USR prefers wedgy, clunky styling e.g. the Sportster
VI and the Sportster DSVD are examples of new USR modems that reflect
this. It's hard to visualise a USR with curvy styling a la Netcomm.
Perhaps its part of US culture to go for big and edgy? :-)

Sunny

... I have an important role as a bad example to others.
--- GEcho 1.11+