I can actually see a point to that case.It is meant to be the "anti hi-tech" look for people where the computer is no more than a tool that they use when the need arises,noyt as a lifestyle or the focal point of their life.Having somthing like that in the kitchen or sewing room with the monitor and keyboard under wraps would make it very low profile and no an attention getter.Ugly is relative to intent.Low profile is also good with certain home decors.Many years ago I was involved in ancient dwelling restorations.We remodelled 1700's homes for modern living and the hardest thing was to weasle in modern appliances,modern home entertainment systems and make a home offic bland into the atmosphere of the old structure.No easy task and if done wrong is to destroy the charm and nature of the house which was the original draw for purchasing it (that and obeying the rules for historic registry houses).What was the fix ?
Hide everything behind panels ! the applianced all had either covers or in the case of the fridge more often than not a false door attached to the original door made from ancient barn siding and made to match the tones of the original kitchen cabinets.The computer was all about panels and deception witrh the printer usually doing duty in a closet or Armoire so it was only visible during actual printing.Faxes were uneffected and the added benefit would be the noise reduction of the closet walls and door.
With the home entertainment system it always came down to a false wall with sling panels or doors that when it was not in use it was entirely hidden from view.Being closed in there needed also to be a rair access area,a narrow space where you could enter through a small door and have access to the connections.What you gained was a home that looked as if it was untouched since the 1700s but beneath the facade was an up to date modern home and all that would be lost is some small amount of actaul floorspace and a crapload of cash
So special circumstances require special fixes and what may seem weird or ugly to one person may actually have a valid reason to exist for others.we can not use ourselves as the standard that others follow because we too are not "normal"
Folks like us,and especially so those with a high post count,spend so much time at the computer that it is the main feature we see in our daily life so must at the minimum be "cool" or "sleek" or High Tech" looking.Our "area" must be layed out for long hours of comfort and everything in reach without having to "unplug" and it is my suspician a few headfi members have a feeding tube and a bucket so they NEVER have to get up
Ten-twenty hours at the keyboard looking at a "paisley" or "Crayola" or "Marvel comics" computer covering would be enough to blind the average human.Maybe even send them into some kind of psychotic break event where they may actually get up and STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER !!!!!!!!
