Alex wrote:
Hi folks,

This might be kinda off topic, but I'm designing a computer desk or
room layout for my home office... and I'd like suggestions of others
who have tackled this.

I do web programming, so I have 3 computers with 4 monitors plus a
laptop.

Me too. Except I have one more computer within arm's reach. g Aren't
multi monitors great? Look through this gallery for photos of how others
have done it. One of my all-time favorites:
http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon...wse.asp?ID=145

The room is 16 feet by 16 feet, and I have two closets.
Idealy the desk will take-up almost two full walls (including corner)
with desk space plus shelves.

I have a U-shaped $100 computer table that has the laptop, 3 monitor
desktop, and the server. It has a birch plywood top with a 2x4 pocket
screwed along the bottom -- the weight of the monitors caused the pressboard
original top to eventually fail.

The key thing is that it is *away* from the wall about 1.5 feet. This lets
me get behind it for cabling etc. Last night I made many trips to the back
of the desktop: trying a fairly new USB hub on 3 ports (1.1 & 2.0) to
confirm it is indeed dead, and getting my MS mouse to work left-handed and
my Logitech trackball and Wacom PenPartner to work right handed.

I wish it were 2' from the wall. 1.5' is a little too close now that all
the cables have snarled back there.

I also want to pull-up the carpet and
put-in a wooden floor so my chair will roll easier.

I laid down three sheets of 4x8' pressboard over the top of the carpet. A
joint is unfortunately right under my chair, and I got tired of the bump
going across it. Drywall screws took care of that. g Doing it again I'd
lay down two layers, opposite directions, and I don't think there would be
problems. If there were, I could just screw the pressboard layers to each
other and not have to screw into the floor.

Can someone suggest a book or website that covers such projects? Or
if someone has done something similar, can you send suggestions or
photos?

I'm borrowing a camera from a friend next week and should have some shots
for you by Friday. Ok?

I'll put a shot on abpw of my office when it was in another, smaller room of
the house. It shows the old top, just before it started crumbling from the
weight.

I can do the wood work myself, but the planning is what I'm having
trouble with. Thanks in advance, and take care,

Alex.

A good setup helps productivity. ;-) Just like in the shop.

-- Mark