When is a case no longer a case? (was Re: scorpions vs dust bunnies

[Bob George]

Jason wrote:

> [...]
> I used to have a giant 286 case (it had a 486 in it) that I had cut a
> huge hole in the top of. To this I mounted a very large 120VAC fan,
> which made very little noise pumping about 60CFM. Around the fan was
> an automotive air cleaner.

I've been watching the cooling trends over the years with some amusement. I
can still remember when do-it-yourselfers built systems inside wood cases.
It's been fun watching cases go the way of the bikini. But I do have to
wonder at what point the benefits of a case are outweighed by cooling
concerns.

As things warm up and the weather report is invariably 10 degrees shy of the
actual temperatures, I'm concerned about my three server boxen jammed under
my desk. Already I can feel the warmth rolling out from under there and I'm
considering a few alternatives.

Isn't part of the function of a case to shield outside devices from
interference, thus requiring metal? Don't those big lexan view windows and
fan openings negate that somewhat? Can I just mount my motherboard on a nice
oak board with suitable backplane support and stick it on my wall as art?

- Bob