You can have any color you want, as long as it's beige. It certainly sounded like blasphemy at the time. Now PC manufacturers are not so sure. This newfound attention to the appearance of computers is an inevitable byproduct of the industry's expanding customer base. The sensibilities of ordinary consumers are different from those of geeks.
Manufacturers can no longer differentiate themselves just with technology.
History and the harsh realities of the PC industry will prevent radical designs from reaching the marketplace. Ongoing technological gains are giving designers more leeway to improve the breed, and some of those improvements will arrive in stores soon. The box will be around for years to come. You may, however, also be able to order one in charcoal grey. But it's also a favorite of music pirates, and the big record companies are scrambling to come up with a replacement compression standard that will make it impossible to illegally duplicate and transmit copyrighted works.