Re: I guess it's So Long and Thanks for all the Fish!

[Walter Soyka] "It looks to me like a relatively elegant workaround for the lack of availability of the right hardware in the first place."

This is where Apple's hardware is going to go though, my prediction. Apparently Sonnet is making it happen now. Apple may not get there for another year. Obviously Sonnet believes they will make some money on this in the mean time.

[Walter Soyka] "Yes, this may cover a broader range of needs, but again, it will leave some previously-served niches behind, and some users will have to look elsewhere going forward."

As would be the case with anything. There's no one size fits all. Apple is not going to be niche specific. I do think the box they make will be capable of major power but it'll all be based on adding external devices through Thunderbolt

This
http://9to5mac.com/2011/09/07/peripherals-aplenty-as-apple-preps-to-ship-it...
and this
http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/12_possible_uses_thunderbolt_port
Really point where Apple is headed. I have no problem with that direction at all. I'll add what I need . . . and so will any interested facility. The modular approach will meet the needs of a larger base from home/office video person to a facility that needs to centralize storage and data control. Need to use PCIe, their are Thunderbolt to PICe expansion boxes. The cost of the base unit will be lower.