After spending the last three years using a Power Mac 8600, my desk was laid
out in a comfortable manner. The 19" monitor had it's place on center
stage, the 8600 sat directly to its left, with a external CD-RW drive
on top of it, and a Umax scanner on top of that. To the right of the
monitor was my Lexmark printer and fax machine. Squeezed between things
was a Zip drive and an external 2 GB SCSI drive.
Ever since I got my first Tower Mac, an 840AV, I've
positioned the computer to the left side of the monitor, as this always
seemed the most comfortable. When the 8600 arrived, 
it assumed the same spot on the desk. This worked
out perfectly, as the 8600 has a removable door on its left side that
allows easy access to its internals.
For three years I went on haply upgrading the computer with more
RAM, faster processor cards (as they became available), faster video
cards (to help with the gaming), and so on. I even vacuumed the insides
2-3 times a year, something I never did on older Macs that were more
difficult to get into.
Well the day came when I needed FireWire ports. This is a simple
matter of adding a PCI card; then you're off and running. I thought
this over for awhile: Do I want to upgrade the 8600 any further or
should I upgrade to a newer model?
The choice was a tough one. The 8600 had been a great computer, but
I longed for a change. After all, it'd been three years! As a dyed in
the wool
eBay-aholic, I checked what was available online at the time.
As luck would have it there was a B&W 400 available with 256
MB RAM at a "Buy It Now Price" of $425. I'd always 
admired the B&W model in the ads, but I had never
seen one in person After careful thought (about 30 seconds), I found I
could not resist. My bid was placed immediately; it was mine! The
B&W 400 has everything I need: fast processor, good video, two USB
ports, and two FireWire ports - not to mention good looks!
After a short wait, it arrived. It is a thing of beauty! Apple did
itself proud with the smooth flowing lines, the beautiful color
combination, the handles to make it easy to carry, and the easy access
door on the right side.
WHAT? On the right side? Can't be? No, tell me it
isn't so! It doesn't fit into my desk layout.
What genius changed sides?
Why would Apple change something that worked so well?
Why didn't they ask me?
After pondering these questions for awhile, the only answer was to
change the desk around. This was not as easy as it sounds. Over the
years I'd minimized cable lengths to keep things neater on and under
the desk. This was corrected with the addition of another power cord
and a longer phone line for the B&W's internal modem.
Because of the handles on the B&W, the CD-RW and scanner did not
fit on top as they did on the 8600, but a small table added to the side
of the desk cured this problem.
The new computer sits to the right of the monitor, and the printer
and fax are on the left. It took a few hours, but after everything is
said and done, it works! I can access the door, and all I need to do is
move a lamp and I'm inside.
Now if I can stop trying to shove CDs into the printer 2-3 times a
day, it will be a perfect setup.
Progress?
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