Re: Suitable Desk for an Apple II

[Andy McFadden <fadden@fadden.com>]

Simon D. Williams <bb065@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
> A lot of "antique" dressing tables have a middle section that is a few
> inches lower than normal desk height. You can often find ones that have
> lost their mirrors for fairly cheap. Probably just about the ideal size
> for a IIe work station, though it might be a bit cramped if your used to
> an executive size desk.

I did most of my Apple II coding on a generic corner desk.  I eventually
upgraded to a "desk with computer hutch", which gave me a slide-out
keyboard tray and some vertical slots to put drives.  Lovely K-Mart particle
board job that became a gift to one of the people who helped me move a
few years back.

My IIgs is currently set up on chrome Metro shelving, which is wonderful
for cable management (e.g. you can zip-tie power strips to the backs of
shelves and keep the power cords short) and lets me keep most of my disk
collection easily accessible.  Not so great for ergonomics in its
current arrangement, but it works.

I fixed that for my PCs by having the keyboard/mouse/monitor/speakers on a
desk in front of me and the computers and associated paraphernalia on wire
shelving behind me.  You can zip-tie network switches and DSL modems to
the underside of shelves, and run network cables underneath so they don't
get in the way.  (Also provides a place for rear speakers in a 5.1 system.)
Could be done with a IIgs if you could get a long enough monitor cable.
Might be awkward if you were doing lots of work with floppies though.

The desk itself is an Ethan Allen computer desk.  Looks nice, and the
keyboard tray works the way I wanted it to.  Most trays are just wide
enough for the keyboard and mouse, and the tray is lined up with the left
edge of the desk.  Since you need to be lined up with the left edge of
the keyboard, this meant my elbows were bumping into the wall and the
front speakers were almost on top of each other.  (I was having so much
trouble finding a desk with a good keyboard tray that I had started
to look into "left-handed" keyboards, where the arrows and number pad
are on the left of the alphanumerics; that way you can center yourself
on the tray.)

Of course, most people don't feel the need to have a 5 PCs, a UPS, a
Quadra 650, two printers (plus associated paper and ink), a scanner,
a small television, a 17" RGB monitor (dedicated to the Quadra), two
network switches, a DSL modem, a 4-port KVM switch, a handful of CD-ROMs,
and trays full of spare parts within easy reach.  I even had enough
room left over to display my "Darth Tater".

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