THE POPULARITY OF small form factor barebones systems has faded of late, and that's really a shame. Shuttle practically invented the breadbox form factor with the seminal SV24, and in the months and years that followed, we were treated to a flurry of new and innovative designs aimed squarely at enthusiasts looking to roll their own pint-sized systems. It didn't take long for others to jump on the bandwagon, either. Soon nearly every motherboard maker had small form factor designs of their own, although few were able to match—let alone exceed—the polish of Shuttle's mature product line. Then Shuttle shifted its attention to selling complete systems, reducing what was once a torrent of new barebones designs to little more than a trickle. Shuttle's competitors didn't exactly pick up the slack, either. In fact, many retreated from the small form factor barebones market altogether, leaving enthusiasts with few reasonable alternatives.



Link: The Tech Report