The computer story

I build my own computer. I’ve done it since Lorr (48 this year) was a 2 year old. My first computer was a Heath/Zenith Z71, a kit where the parts came in little bags and had to be soldered onto the boards. I had a bad component which was replaced by the tech at H/Z and it booted right up. That’s back when floppy disks were 8″ across. Ancient times, right?
The case I’ve got now is a really awesome powder coated aluminum desktop (oriented flat=desktop instead of tall=tower) and I’ve had it for . . . 20 years? I keep it updated by swapping out parts at the beginning of each year. Last major update (<$800) was a bit of a squeeze but everything fits! This year I bought a new video card. I REALLY need a new vid card so I spent the $300 bucks and bought a good one with 12g of memory and 2 fans. Not top end (>$700) but it’ll work nicely for my purpose, a good middle ground between economy and function.
The video card came. Woot! Daisy (one of a pair of Goldens) LOVES tearing up plastic bags and cardboard anything. I look out the window and there she is, decimating the cardboard box. She hasn’t hurt the shrink wrapped box around the card but has completely decimated the outer cardboard box and the plastic bag the delivery guy put the package in . . . little bits all over the yard. NICE doggy (grr).
I unpack and admire my new board and read the quick installation guide. I get out my screw driver and flash light, open my case, uninstall my GTX 750 TI (old vid card) and . . . new card WILL NOT fit, the card is too long to fit in my legacy case.
So . . . I’ve spent two days researching new cases. They are all so BIG!! ENORMOUS. And they all have glass windows (gag) and lights (double-gag). I don’t need that! I really don’t! I don’t need to admire daily, I just need the thing to work. So I finally choose a case from the manufacturer of the case I’ve had for 20 years and love. It’s a mini-atx not really a tower but not a desktop thing with great air flow. It gets rave reviews from builders. And it’ll be here in five days.