I check, on a daily basis, quite a few sites, and blogs related to technology and computer use. Almost all of these sites are worth my time, but I see (here in the real world) a topic which has been around for years, but gets little or no coverage in the techno world. Sit in any college neighborhood coffee shop and check to see how many NetBooks, Laptops and other personal computer paraphernalia is customized, covered with stickers, has been covered with aftermarket cases, or comes from the store with ‘custom graphics, or skins.
The fact is that we (taken in the aggregate) are using personal computers more and more, in business, at home, for relaxation, for communications, for entertainment, for study, for reading, and for keeping track of your life. This sounds more like a 19th century valet than a piece of electronics.
The fact is that with the increasing amounts of int4egration of computing tools into our lives, it is a pretty reasonable conclusion to see that many are rendering these tools/’servants’ into personal terms. I see this as being about the same thing as if you were to watch an old 30’s serial western movie, you know, where Gene Autry or Roy Rogers would dote on, rely upon, and generally deal with his horse as if it were a trusted (human) friend.
With due respect to pet owners everywhere, I think that they would also see that conflating their pet dog, cat, horse or llama with a MacBook is seemingly strange. One aspect of this, is that this ‘customization of computers (whether adding in retail screen savers, sound suites, adding stickers, skins, custom cases, etc.) is nothing really new. I have seen variations on this idea for twenty years.
The thing I find most interesting is that most of the techno blogs and sites I subscriber to have plenty of personnel who (no doubt) have personalized their laptops too! I see this as a market which some enterprising bloggers could jump on…
In this spirit of covering all aspects of how to use computers (for me, my computers…), I might even take the time to create a custom skin for one of my computer appliances…stay tuned!
