Did you love or hate the ATX Form Factor when it was first released

[Tokeupdude]

Figured it was time to stop lurkin and start typing, so here I am. I was just wondering what everyone thought of the ATX form factor when it was first released. I'll admit when it first came out I hated it, reminded me of too many Packard Hells and Compaqs out there with all their integrated crap. But as time went on, chipsets improved, Power Supply replacement ease and a miriad of other better features (not to mention customers no longer frying out Motherboards and other things by hooking up the power connectors backwords) I did start to like them. Aside from the ones that come with built on video and no AGP slot I like them a lot better now than I did then, so just wondering what everyone's thoughts are.

Toke

[exholt]

At first, I thought it was a passing fad...guess it was the fact that I worked mostly(still do) on at based systems. As time passes though...it became more irrelevant...since there are some PII/Celeron motherboards that support at as well as the now common atx standards.

[LagMonster]

I like them for the power supply options.
I hated the serial moust on my AT. USB optical all the way now.

[Kymera]

It threw me off for a sec. I was one of those people that got an ATX case and an AT MB. The standard just snuck up on me. I liked it AFTER I was able to get up to speed.

[Lycia]

I waited and waited, sticking to my Tyan motherboard that was AT. I had read that eventually, Intel would be going back to socket architecture. Which is true. But I mistakenly though that I would still be able to use my AT case.

[jbar1]

I liked them from Day one. Of course I had to have all new cases. That was the best part plus on board SCSI

[nfawcett]

I hated them at first. I thought inegrated ports. But come to think of it the actuall port was on the board of the AT. Now you have less ribbons to worry about. Onboard video rocks for the customer who is just using it for Home/Office (not gaming)
I make sure I let them know that.

[CobraTekMax]

The first time I saw one, I stared at it and scratched my head like a monkey trying to do a math problem. But after a couple of years working with it, I really like it. It's SOOOO easy to replace and motherboard or PS with ATX architecture than an AT.

[paranoid]

They are far easier to work on then the older ATs and with all the colour coding on the back, I start to think I may be out of a job soon. Then a luser walks in and I'm instantly re-asurred.

[supatech]

I liked them a lot. At first they seemed really big compared to a regular at case

[Sowulo]

No digging around trying to get the damn on/off switch out to replace the power supply...enough said!!!

[AlienDyne]

I hate them and I hate them a lot! I thought that the whole ATX idea was nothing but a new way make us spend more money. I was wrong!

[rebelj]

At first I was not sure if it would hang around -- something like what happened with VESA local bus. But now the only problem I have is trying to explain why the case can't be reused for the upgrade\replacement of the motherboard.
(Y'all know the line .. "But they told me when I bought it three years ago it was upgradable. You are just trying to sell me a case to make more money.")
Lets all keep our fingers crossed that this will stay a standard until we all retire, I don't know if I can deal with this again in ten years!

[Sowulo]

Originally posted by Rebel J:
At first I was not sure if it would hang around -- something like what happened with VESA local bus. But now the only problem I have is trying to explain why the case can't be reused for the upgrade\replacement of the motherboard.
(Y'all know the line .. "But they told me when I bought it three years ago it was upgradable. You are just trying to sell me a case to make more money.")
Lets all keep our fingers crossed that this will stay a standard until we all retire, I don't know if I can deal with this again in ten years!

Uhhhh, ten years? Can you say Pentium 4? Even if we all wait for the next great chip in the fall I think it's a pretty fair bet that it will have the same new P/S that the P4 uses.....

[ricco]

Quality boards, easy to work on, simple to replace......only problems are making the cable nice and tidy and trying not to bend any shielding when you fit the board.