In this 2009 PC and Pixel, it seems to be Pixel from within his carrier dispensing the wisdom. But what is he agreeing with? That computer customers just want Internet connectivity? Or want no options so they need not make decisions?
And what is grabbing everyone’s attention?
And BTW, how many other cat cartoon protagonists deign to be confined to a carrier?
Comics I Don't Understand 
Mitch asked, “…what is grabbing everyone’s attention?”
I wanted to suggest it’s that gigantic font size, but if you trace the way each of the four people in the comic are facing, I think they are all staring at the equally oversized store display, with eight identical (and rather antiquated, even for 2009) PC systems.
Very odd. No-name computers were definitely a thing, but they certainly weren’t one-size fits all.
Powers says : No-name computers were definitely a thing, but they certainly weren’t one-size fits all.
Indeed. And “one size fits all” is further incompatible with “fully loaded” — loaded with what? There’s more than one way to, erm, load a computer.
I suspect what he is saying “consumers ultimately want” in a computer is not to have to think about and make choices. Back in the day, one almost needed a CS degree to know how much RAM, processor power, HD space, and internet connectivity configuration you might need. Today, we are at this point of the comic, where any device, almost every phone even, can do all of the things one needs, unless you are very specialized.
The point itself seems a bit antiquated for 2009, as by then personal computers were practically at market saturation and more than a decade removed from the watershed moment in the boom of internet connectivity-focused PCs with limited customizability (Apples late 1998 release of the first iMac). These machines were huge hits that erased what doubt remained that personal computers would become ubiquitous household appliances in the western world.
Heck, the PC’s essential successor, the smartphone, was moving well out of the early adopter phase in 2009.
I’m pretty sure it comes from the old lament: “I just want to browse the web! I don’t want to worry about specs! Why can’t I just buy a PC like I buy a no-name toaster – plug it in and it works!”
As a boring techie (retired) our industry would love one universal computer for everyone. Everyone connects to the cloud to get their “special” configuration but they all have one common box to get there. Also see the side thought that your phone is that box and what we need is a transparent, secure way to connect to displays, keyboards, graphics devices, printers, etc.
Since it is 2009, perhaps it is a reference to generic products? The ones that came in white boxes. No name, not a lot of choices, and the brand didn’t matter.
What is grabbing everyone’s attention? A talking cat, duh!
AtMC’s idea brings me back to a question posed in the post. Do we ever see Garfield / Heathcliff / Georgia Dunn’s cats / Mittens / Tom / etc getting hauled around in a carrier case?
What is grabbing everyone’s attention: It says so right in the comic. Someone finally caught onto the notion consumers don’t want to have to research the bejeezus out of computer specs to get what they want.
As for the rest of it, why do people think the comic is trying to display a computer that is, in actuality, one that everyone would want? It is there just to signify a computer. And since everyone talks about those being computers, the imagery did its job. “NO NAME” is simply to avoid naming Dell, Apple, etc.
I think Brian R. nailed it.
I agree with TedD (and Brian’s evaluation), with one minor exception: That “No Name” is not just avoiding trademark placement, it’s part of the joke: in addition to eliminating the difficulty of chasing down precise specifications, this shop also absolves you from praying to the gods of “brand loyalty”.
Do we ever see Garfield / Heathcliff / Georgia Dunn’s cats / Mittens / Tom / etc getting hauled around in a carrier case?
Definitely the Breaking Cat News crew has:
https://www.gocomics.com/breaking-cat-news/2017/05/16
https://www.gocomics.com/breaking-cat-news/2017/05/17
https://www.gocomics.com/breaking-cat-news/2017/05/18
I think I recall a “Mutts” strip with Earl & Mooch each in a carrier, but I have been unable to find it online.
Ralph (in “Drabble”) managed to get Oogie in one:
P.S. Satch fooled Bucky into one in “Get Fuzzy“:
P.P.S. And finally (saving the best for last), Arlo almost got Luddie into one, but that was over 25 years ago:
P.P.P.S. Seven years later, Arlo found a solution:
Thanks for the great research job, everyone!
I don’t notice any modern soft “bag” style carriers among these. The one in Drabble looks like they never did get a real carrier, but are still using the heavy-cardboard fold-up one that an adoption shelter will provide for a person who is now going home with an adopted animal but didn’t bring a carrier.
“What in Cat’s name is a CAR?” KitKat, my sweet little cuddle bundle, makes no difficulty getting into a carrier ; but once the car starts moving, sets up an inconsolable yowl and fights with the carrier fabric and zipper hardware until I worry she will injure herself. The vets then suggested dosing her with GABA, or spraying Feliway for a couple days in advance. Or maybe I should take her to the walking-distance vet clinic that several friends and I stopped using after a change of ownership and a couple unfortunate standard-of-care incidents. :-(
I seem to recall Grimm (from Mother Goose and Grimm) in a carrier a few times.
I leave the carrier on the floor, with a towel in it, and my cat considers it a sleeping spot. He isn’t happy when I put him in there…and while he doesn’t fight with the carrier, he does yowl heartbrokenly the entire time he’s traveling in it. Walking distance clinic a couple blocks away, or the slightly larger hospital about 10 minutes by car across town.
It’s tough to fool a wily outdoor cat like Tommy though:
https://www.gocomics.com/breaking-cat-news/2017/12/22