Just to point out since you mentioned cars, the Ford f150 is the biggest selling car in America. In Australia it's what is basically the equivalent, the Toyota Hilux. Still effectively boxes on wheels, whose primary design feature, is a blank cargo tray that can be user configured, adapted and reconfigured to have any combination of storage and tools put into it.
They're vehicles made for work, and the reason they're used for work is that individual users can configure and reconfigure them, not the car company.
we have a box truck at the shop.. literally a box on wheels and called exactly that - 'box truck'
here's the thing.. when deciding to purchase, the function needed was delivering products and purchasing materials..
those are the priority#1 functions and then the form follows..
if you're doing the same analysis with a computer, how high/low on the list is the shape of the physical shape of the computer?
for me, it ranks maybe around #500 on importance.. like, i don't even begin to imagine the shape of a computer if answering a question "what do you need the computer to do? what functions do you require?"
(speaking desktops here.. laptops or phones etc, the form comes into play much earlier as you're physically interacting with these)
the desktop box computer is, or has been, the size/shape it is for exactly one reason.. technical hurdles.. that's it..
you don't need a box for configurability.. you're not putting work items in it.. you're not hauling cargo with it. you're moving microscopic electrons around.. the idea of "i need big" or "i need box" for my computing work is a complete logical fallacy.
---
what you're doing with this box defending is, in design world, referred to a "form follows precedent".. the thought process that a product should be shaped a certain way simply based off the fact that this shape was seen prior.. it's completely uninspiring and you should realize the only reason you're saying 'box with slots' is because it's something you've seen prior.
the opposite of 'form follows precedent' is "form follows function":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_follows_function
this is the modern philosophy which states a product's (etc) shape is determined by its intended function or purpose..
a designer should be asking "what is this item supposed to do?" first and foremost then allow the shape to evolve from there.. instead of "well, i've seen _____ shape before so i might as well do that again" without consideration of what actually needs to be accomplished.
the funny thing about this is at these forums in particular, the above principles have been completely butchered into "apple is all about
form over function"
..when their designs are actually very far from that.. j.Ive and co. are pretty damn strict on following the principle of 'form follows function'.. probably one of the best examples of this in current times.
----
idk.. it's not really important for me to change your mind.. i
completely understand your viewpoint and also realize many to most think similarly.. so i'm definitely not thinking i'm going to enlighten the world regarding design principles ; )
(though it might be neat if you could at least attempt to understand the viewpoint i'm speaking from in a similar way as i understand yours.. not to come to agreement with me but simply to be able to see more than one side)
here's what i think you should understand regardless of your design theories since it's the actual topic at hand..
mMP will not be box-with-slots
if that's what you want, or especially, if that's what you 'need' -- quit looking to apple for a solution because you're not going to get it from them.. you're wasting your time.
