computer doorstop

Object: Macintosh Color Classic, c. 1994

Location: used as a doorstop at Springboard Media, 2212 Walnut St.

Background: According to ye olde Wikipede, the Color Classic paved the way for the candy-colored iMac. And according to this New York Times article, the Color Classic has a cult following. There’s no way to improve on the following explanation from that article of this computer’s anthropomorphic appeal:

“Giving the original Classic a twist, [designer Daniel] DeIuliis (pronounced day-YOU-lease) lengthened the front, accentuated the forehead above the screen and carved the floppy disk slot to resemble a drooping mouth, a combination that reminded many users of Bart Simpson. He made the side vents resemble gills, a look that suggested that the computer was breathing. The plastic around the display appears to stretch. A mirthful touch was the tiny round legs that resemble the feet of a baby elephant.”

Classic’s resemblance to the boxy “Happy Mac” icon makes it even more endearing.

Context: Sometimes it’s about the adapted functionality of the product, not its intended functionality. Springboard gets points for inventive re-use.  And the computer-as-doorstop sets an interesting tone for the customer who’s on the threshold of beholding the latest Apple merch. The contrast between this chunk of a monitor and the slip of a Mac Air inside is breathtaking. It justifies the money the customer is about to spend on a new device.

And if that customer happens to be anxious about spending so much money or about not being as computer-savvy as Springboard’s smart, geeky-cool staff, this giant wink sets him at ease and levels the playing field (especially if, as I did, that customer happened to have this particular model in college). And at the risk of reading a little too much into this particular object, I think it’s fair to say the computer doorstop encapsulates the earnest/ironic attitude, circa 2012, that just might prevail inside a Springboard store.

The right cross to this left hook is the vintage Space Invaders arcade game just inside the door. Well played, Springboard. Well played.