I've had lots of Macs: classic box SE, pizza box 66AV, bigger pizza box 7300, iMac gumdrop Rev B, tower G4 dual 450, and a couple of laptops too.

I've taken my dual 450MHz, with 128MB RAM, 16MB ATI graphics, 30 GB hard drive, DVD-ROM drive, 2 USB 1.0 ports and updraded to dual 1.6GHz, 64MB ATI 8500 graphics card, Added 120 GB Hard drive, replaced DVD-ROM with, DVD-RW (Pioneer 105), added a four port USB 2.0 PCI card, and Alchemy TV PCI card. I also have a Dell 20" wide screen LCD, Apple BT keyboard, and MS wireless laser mouse.

Yeah I've spent a lot of money upgrading, but all on my own terms bit by bit. I don't make my living using my Mac, but I live to use my Mac.

For me the Mac Mini is under powered and not expandable enough, same with the iMac, and the Mac Pro is too much of a good thing.

This is what I'd like to see:

In the Box
- Mac
- Apple Remote
- Power cord
- Install/restore DVDs
- Printed and electronic documentation

Processing:
- 2.4GHz or 2.67GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or E6700 series processors
(not two Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5100 series processors like MacPro)

- Intel Core microarchitecture
- 4 MB L@ cache
- 1066 MHz Front Side Bus (not 1.33GHz like MacPro)

Memory: 4 slots, up to 4 GB RAM (not 8 slots and 16GB like MacPro)

Graphics: Double-wide PCi Express graphics slot
- Graphics card not sure
- support for up to two displays (not eight)
- S-video and coMacProosite video output to connect directly to a TV or projector
(using Apple DVI to Video Adapter, sold separately)

Storage: Two Serial ATA hard drive bays, One bay occupied by 200 GB Serial ATA hard drive
(not 4 and not necessarily cable-freelike MacPro)

One 5.25" optical drive bay with 16x Superdrive (not two like MacPro)

Communications:
- One Ethernet port (not two like MacPro)
- Optional AirPort Extreme wireless networking
- Optional Bluetooth 2.0
- Optional external Apple USB Modem

Peripherals and Audio
- Two FireWire 400 ports (one on front, and one on back)
- Four USB 2.0 ports (one on front and three on back)
- Front-panel headphone minijack and speaker
- Built in speaker
- Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack) (like Mac Mini)
- Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack) (like Mac Mini)

Size and weight
- Height:12 inches (not 20.1 like MacPro)
- Width: 6.5 inches (like Mac Mini)
- Depth: 12 (not 18.7 like MacPro)
- Weight (standard configuration): 15 lbs (not 42.4lbs like MacPro)

Design: Black like Mac book or Cheese grater like Mac Pro

Price $1350 or $1550

I put this together by looking at the Intel site, and spec pages for the Mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. I didn't specify a graphics card cause I'm not sure of which one it should be. I don't think Mr Jobs will be my fairy-godmother and grant me this wish but I can dream.

Please add your thoughts, comments, and flames. And artists can suggest looks and designs.

Steve in Mississauga

I like your ideas. Apple doesnt have a desktop just for the regular users. I understand the iMac is okay, but not eveeryone wants that thing with the monitor. Some just need the tower, but the Mac Pro is obvious way out of price range. I would like them to take 50% off the price and i would MAYBE buy it

I agree and would love to see a mid-ranged box. I think Apple views the iMac as the mid-ranged one, but I've seen a lot of chatter about this lately so maybe we can change their minds.

Hmm interesting ideas... Yes in a way I see what your looking for... a more powerful computer but without such extreme upgrade capability. But dont forget... you can get one of the G5's and it would be near the spec's you metioned, just upgrade certain components. As for wanting a Mac Pro that ISNT top of the line... that just seems dumb to me! iMac is meant for the "normal user" who on earth WANTS a tower to take up space???? I had the new iMac Intel 2.0Ghz and it's BLAZING FAST!!! You sound like your asking them to do the same kinda thing that Intel did with it's Pentium vs. Celeron chips... just handicap the chips, in this case handicap the Mac Pro... they are meant for Pro's who are willing to pay! $$$$$

My arguement for not wanting a "normal user" iMac, is that I already have a display, and want to be able to upgrade things. The G5 prices are of course going to drop like crazy, but going that route is not for me - I want to run Windoze on my machine too.

Steve in Mrs Sauga

I got rid of that "upgrade room" windows way of thinking long ago... I buy what I need now... and when it's out of date I buy a new computer. I see your argument with already owning a display... if you dont need 2 displays it's a waste of space and money. We gotta face real world facts... that's what they've released... we gotta look at the options and analyse what's the best way to go. G4,G5, iMac Intel, Mac Pro, etc.

On my previous PC of 3 years I think I upgraded the sound card and hard drive and that's it. I came to the conclusion that at least if the hard drive and memory is upgradable then it's ok. If I ever wanted a better sound card I could go for a USB or firewire sound card but even then I love my iMac's built in speakers.

Yeah, I forgot to mention, I've got speakers too. How about some thoughts on the looks, would it/should it look like a smaller version of the Mac Pro, or a bigger version of the Mac Mini (with my mini tower dimensions), or something all together different. I'd like it to be cheese grater metal on top, front, back, and black Mac Book-like on the sides. Hell since I'm in dream land, what about selling different versions of side panels, like they do with the Xbox face plates, we could have black, white, blue dalmation, etc.

Personally I'd love to see a smaller version of the Mac Pro... as in smaller size. I've seen that there are external HD's that look like miniature Mac Pro tower computers, it would be awesome to have 3 of those HD's side by side and a slightly bigger actual computer! I have a wild imagination I know! lol

Below are two sample drives. There is one I saw a few weeks ago that looks literaly IDENTICAL to the G5 Tower... Im searching like mad for it but I cant find it anymore to show you a photo.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firew...4/USB/EliteAL/

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...857429&CatId=0

I like your ideas - basically, what you're saying is you want a more traditional PC-style system. Only it runs Mac OS X. Personally, that would be the ideal for me too.

I think the perfect form factor for this would be something akin to a Shuttle XPC (www.shuttle.com). It's reminiscent of the Apple G4 Cube, but more upgradeable.

I myself, not being able to wait for Apple to do something like this (and I don't believe they ever will, mind you), put together a Shuttle gaming box this week. It's great for what it's meant for - has 3 hard drive bays, 1 optical bay, and the ability to use a dual-slot video card. Perfect!... except that it can't run OS X. Pitty.

So I'm still a dual-user: my G5 for everything important in my life, and my little Windows gaming Shuttle for mindless distraction.

The MINUTE Apple puts out something along these lines though, that's it, I'm there!!!!