If you could design any type of desk, what would it be?

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

In the '70s, computers weren't in keyboards unless they were special purpose

It was the form factor of choice for the early personal computer: Apple ][, Commodore 64, VIC-20, and &. The Raspberry Pi 400 is closer, but it's membrane keyboard is not as good as the Apple keyboard on my RP 5. The 500+ has mechanical keys.

The New Raspberry Pi 500+ Has a Built-in Mechanical Keyboard

The computer has a 256GB SSD inside the M.2 NVMe slot....

The main upgrade here is the keyboard, which is now uses Gateron KS–33 Blue switches with a custom RAL 7001 Silver Grey stem, instead of the simple membrane keyboard found in previous models. It should provide a more satisfying sound and feel while typing, with removable keycaps and individually-addressable RGB lights.

Replaceable keycaps. Hopefully one can turn those LED lights off. $200.

For a wall mount or Barcalounger mount there is the Seed reTerminal:
seeed studio>Products›Raspberry Pi›reTerminal 5"

The reTerminal is an all-in-one board, powered by Raspberry Pi CM4, integrated with one IPS panel type multi-touch screen....the board is equipped with high-speed connectors to an expansion board. Designed for home assistance and individual AI development applications.

It uses the CM4 but has it's own cryptographic chip. Amazon has 'em for $339.

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Won't even talk about memory availability

An early video digitizer was made using a RAM chip with the cover off. It had a bar through the middle of the picture due to the DRAM architecture. Please excuse the Reddit link, I blame DDG:

Reddit
Today I saw that you can use DRAM as a camera sensor!
I have a really old robotics book from the early 80s, and they had a process or filing the corner off a ram chip and popping off the top. If I recall, it's inverse (you write 1's and the light changes it to 0's)

[Piotrsko]

Recollect I said '70s, not 80's......we had LSI @huge aircrash in some weapons systems but the chips were 2" X 2" and not more than a couple hundred discreets. Power components whole different story. Doppler decoder boards were 5pc 8 inch square matched board sets

[Xist]

My first computer was one of these, which didn't come out until 1981:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0Jtv8hvau4

Stupid Google:

AI Overview
How the TI-99/4A Home Computer Worked : r/8BitGuy
The query "99/4a "-ai"" refers to the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A home computer, an early 16-bit machine from the 1980s, with the "-ai" likely representing a user's attempt to find info about Artificial Intelligence applications or programming on the platform, perhaps through specific software or custom code.

What does - mean, Google?!

[freebeard]

Try -"AI"?

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Recollect I said '70s, not 80's......

Milspec [is not equal to] personal computer. That's was one of the most inspiring stories from the 1970s --- how Steve Wosniak held the whole schematic for an eight chip floppy disk controller in his head and reduced it to a single chip. Here's the documentation on the Integrated Woz Machine from 1978 (1982 revision): www.brutaldeluxe.fr/documentation/iwm/apple2_IWM_Spec_Rev19_1982.pdf

{It turns out the iMac had a socket on the motherboard for a floppy disk controller]

[Piotrsko]

Milspec is kinda the front door for the technology of the masses... cant see Apple building a computer in a keyboard without the LSI chips and I cant see even IBM deciding they needed smaller peripherals just because they could make them smaller. A 407 accounting printer was the size of a work desk, and except for column total registers was pretty stupid: read a card, print it, maybe some column totals if they stay positive

[Xist]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Try -"AI"?

I did and AI Overview responded to it!

It's in the quote!

I finally finished my desk:

It took days to clear off and remove my old table, move the filing cabinet and computers, and build the desk and hutch.
I paid $366.51 shipped, but it would currently cost $400.

Assembly costs $80 and if anyone considered a desk like this, I would recommend paying for it.
It took at least a couple hours for each part.

I plan on setting up the Inspiron on the filing cabinet again, but instead of having its keyboard between my main keyboard and the TV like before, I will put it in the drawer.
The main keyboard has a larger palm rest and doesn't fit very well.

It comes with drywall anchors, but I would rather find the studs, install a 2x4 I will paint black, and screw the brackets to the 2x4.

It has a 3-outlet power strip behind my computer with USB-A and C.
It also has RGB lighting.
It came with a monitor shelf, but not only would my TV be higher than I like, but the top would be blocked, and I don't know where I would put the webcam.

I had considered putting the shelf on top, but I didn't realize this is 77.8" tall.
I didn't expect it to be 18" taller than it is wide.
It works, though, I can reach the shelves and doors while sitting, but I am 6'2", and have disproportionately long arms.
I liked that instead of attaching a backing board with dozens of tiny nails, it has dados, and the backing board slides in.
Then you use little plastic wedges and tiny screws to help retain it.

The desk instructions were great, but the hutch directions were confusing.
It had this vague diagram about installing the tape lights:


These pages I skipped regarding installing the batteries.
I hope I did it right!


I remember flipping around and trying to make sense of it based on other pages.
Does this depict board 4 or 8?
[yes]
Which screw is this?
[E]
Where are the plastic brackets?
[no idea]

After I put the tape on board 4, I realized that was for the monitor shelf I wasn't using--and I didn't have a second tape, so I removed it, put it on 8, and worried the tape will fall off without brackets.
I feel like this and the other pages could have been combined:


I love that I can scan documents with my phone.
I cut a hole in a box and use that when I need to submit something, but it doesn't work as well as a proper scanner should.
[I didn't use the box, but attempted to straighten it in Gimp]

How come straight lines never come out straight?
Why is the land labeled E in the diagram for 4?
Why aren't all of the screws labeled?
Ah.
Why is the hand labeled E instead of the screws?
What is the hand supposed to indicate?

One of the pages was upside-down.
I don't recall seeing that before.
I wish there were more distinguishing features than three boards had pinholes in one side, but not the other.
There were a few times that I didn't have any context for the diagram.
I rotated it, flipped forward a few pages, and finally started assembling.
Of course, I needed to take apart what I had built and reverse boards a couple of times.

I installed the bottom left corner backwards, so if you crouched on the floor, and removed the big drawer, you would see the cam locks.
I installed 2/3 of the vertical boards in the middle of the hutch backwards.
There are pinholes in them, which you are supposed to use to secure the backing, but I got turned around, so I drilled into the other side.
I'm sure those holes are bigger, so I guess I'll find the tiniets amount of wood filler and black paint I can.
I think it is funny I didn't remove any of the number stickers, but I plan on ordering black stickers to cover holes, but I think it would be nice to install a shelf in the corner, on the left of my TV.

We have two huge all-in-one printers.
I might be able to fit Dad's old small printer on a top shelf if I cut a hole for the cables, but 11.4 pounds is more than I want that high.
Right now it's on the display case across the room.

[Xist]

Hey freebeard, I updated that post; you may want to skim it.

[freebeard]

'Splain like I'm five. Post #23 or what?

[Xist]

This. I don't know why I updated the post instead of writing a new post:

Originally Posted by Xist

I did and AI Overview responded to it!

It's in the quote!

I finally finished my desk:

It took days to clear off and remove my old table, move the filing cabinet and computers, and build the desk and hutch.
I paid $366.51 shipped, but it would currently cost $400.

Assembly costs $80 and if anyone considered a desk like this, I would recommend paying for it.
It took at least a couple hours for each part.

I plan on setting up the Inspiron on the filing cabinet again, but instead of having its keyboard between my main keyboard and the TV like before, I will put it in the drawer.
The main keyboard has a larger palm rest and doesn't fit very well.

It comes with drywall anchors, but I would rather find the studs, install a 2x4 I will paint black, and screw the brackets to the 2x4.

It has a 3-outlet power strip behind my computer with USB-A and C.
It also has RGB lighting.
It came with a monitor shelf, but not only would my TV be higher than I like, but the top would be blocked, and I don't know where I would put the webcam.

I had considered putting the shelf on top, but I didn't realize this is 77.8" tall.
I didn't expect it to be 18" taller than it is wide.
It works, though, I can reach the shelves and doors while sitting, but I am 6'2", and have disproportionately long arms.
I liked that instead of attaching a backing board with dozens of tiny nails, it has dados, and the backing board slides in.
Then you use little plastic wedges and tiny screws to help retain it.

The desk instructions were great, but the hutch directions were confusing.
It had this vague diagram about installing the tape lights:


These pages I skipped regarding installing the batteries.
I hope I did it right!


I remember flipping around and trying to make sense of it based on other pages.
Does this depict board 4 or 8?
[yes]
Which screw is this?
[E]
Where are the plastic brackets?
[no idea]

After I put the tape on board 4, I realized that was for the monitor shelf I wasn't using--and I didn't have a second tape, so I removed it, put it on 8, and worried the tape will fall off without brackets.
I feel like this and the other pages could have been combined:


I love that I can scan documents with my phone.
I cut a hole in a box and use that when I need to submit something, but it doesn't work as well as a proper scanner should.
[I didn't use the box, but attempted to straighten it in Gimp]

How come straight lines never come out straight?
Why is the land labeled E in the diagram for 4?
Why aren't all of the screws labeled?
Ah.
Why is the hand labeled E instead of the screws?
What is the hand supposed to indicate?

One of the pages was upside-down.
I don't recall seeing that before.
I wish there were more distinguishing features than three boards had pinholes in one side, but not the other.
There were a few times that I didn't have any context for the diagram.
I rotated it, flipped forward a few pages, and finally started assembling.
Of course, I needed to take apart what I had built and reverse boards a couple of times.

I installed the bottom left corner backwards, so if you crouched on the floor, and removed the big drawer, you would see the cam locks.
I installed 2/3 of the vertical boards in the middle of the hutch backwards.
There are pinholes in them, which you are supposed to use to secure the backing, but I got turned around, so I drilled into the other side.
I'm sure those holes are bigger, so I guess I'll find the tiniets amount of wood filler and black paint I can.
I think it is funny I didn't remove any of the number stickers, but I plan on ordering black stickers to cover holes, but I think it would be nice to install a shelf in the corner, on the left of my TV.

We have two huge all-in-one printers.
I might be able to fit Dad's old small printer on a top shelf if I cut a hole for the cables, but 11.4 pounds is more than I want that high.
Right now it's on the display case across the room.

I have watched many build videos where they add tape lights and I don't remember any including retaining clips.
I didn't want the monitor shelf, so that light would seem superfluous, but I felt disappointed the one strip wasn't brighter, so I would like to double them.
It's weird, it has a 3-outlet power strip plus USB-A and USB-C, but I have the one strand of lights plugged into the USB-A charger.
I felt surprised there wasn't a y-adapter since there are supposed to be two lights with cords meaning you need to provide your own power supply if you want both.
Ideally, you buy one with two ports.
I worry about the light tape falling down because I put it on the wrong board first and because the cord is unsupported, but having a black case and a dangling RGB cord doesn't look right.
If I had the clips, I think I would put one in the corner, supporting the weight of the cord, and at least keeping the cord against the side, and then another one halfway down to help keep the cord flat.

I think that having a cord cover would be ideal, but I'm also considering securing it to the back side since I have the desk out from the wall.
However, the cord is almost as wide as the wood, so I would wrap electrical tape onto each side?

I was trying to figure out how to contact the seller to request the tape and clips.
It is weird because I found it, went back to copy and paste the full name, and then couldn't find it despite skimming the entire listing several times, so I finally Googled.
It is annoying how Walmart pages are mostly about other products, not the specific one your are considering.

I looked at the other pictures of desks with hutches and this looks like A.I.:

That isn't the seller's image, it's from a review.
I don't know why it shows the power cord, but the plug doesn't look right.
The door and drawer handles are different, the hutch shelf proportions are different, and none of the books or boxes look real.
The biggest one looks like it has random letters on it, which may or may not be English.

Why would a reviewer use an AI-generated image?!

This is one of the ones from the seller:


It was rated 4.8 stars when I loaded it this morning, but changed to 4.9 while I was going back and forth.
Weird. There is a one-star review, but it wasn't included in the score!

Items came damaged, horrible CS from seller
The two boxes came severely damaged. Before opening boxes I sent message immediately to seller to ask if they provide parts as I suspected damaged pieces. The seller sends a long message telling me to open all boxes, do a complete inspection and to provide part %23s, a load of photos and 5 days later, after sending them everything I had not been given a resolution. Parts were all over my home and I had no office setup to do much needed work. Had to reach out to Walmart directly to get actual CS support. Highly disappointed as this was the setup I was looking for.

This is the review which I think is fake:

Beautiful
titaheidary1_6787
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This desk really impressed me. It has a modern black design that matches any space, and what I love the most is how functional it is: it comes with several spacious drawers, upper shelves, and plenty of room on the main surface to work comfortably. I like that it feels sturdy and well-made, while also adding an elegant touch to the room. I placed it in my living area and it blended in perfectly with the décor without taking up too much space I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a practical piece of furniture with lots of storage that also looks beautiful in any corner of your home
Originally posted on
influenster.com

I looked up influenster.com and it is a site to receive free items in exchange for a review.
People spent several hours setting up a desk they didn't need?!