The referenced article talks about the upcoming PCI Express bus standard and how TI has been able to create a PC architecture that has the different components (mainbord, drives, graphics, etc.) connected by cat6 cable. They claim that this makes "modular" PCs possible.

Um, I hate to tell you, but PCs are modular now. As opposed to something like, say, an iMac, or many laptops. It's just not easy for people who are scared to open their PC case.

I think what they meant to say is that it allows the PC Components to be more like the stereo components of old. The kind where you would have a separate box for the tuner, tape deck, turntable, CD player and amplifier. The irony of this is that most people don't buy their stereos like this anymore, but instead buy the all-in-one-box units that sit nicely on a shelf

However, by separating out the components of a PC, they make it easier for the non-techies to replace one of the components (or add new ones) without buying a whole new PC. It also allows the PC to be more spread out, which might solve some temperature issues.

What I'm most interested in is the possibiolity for some innovative new configurations for PC component layout. This leads into a discussion of my dream for computers. Some of you may have heard this before (unless I'm just talking to myself here, in which case all of me has heard this before), but here is my dream:

I want my PC to be a desk.

Okay, let me elaborate. I want my PC to be integrated into a desk-like piece of furniture, such that the display is the entire desktop surface and the components are hidden from view. Do you remember the movie TRON? The "bad guy" named Dillenger had such a desk to interface to the (mainframe) system and the MCP. I know that desk was nothing but Hollywood trickery; it was a hollow shell of a desk with video monitors underneath a dark colored sheet of glass. However, I believe that we are closer to being able to create the real thing. With a large screen LCD TV/monitor, and the "distributed" PC as described in the article above, I think it could be possible.

Yes, it will be prohibitively expensive. I don't care. I want one.