By Steven Milbrandt



There is a prevailing belief among some people that for something to be good it must be work. Somehow complex equates to better. The harder something is to come by or accomplish the greater the reward for sticking with something. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the "keep it simple" camp. The people in this group wish to minimize stress. These are the people who, in many cases are OK with a bit of clutter around the house, still unpacked boxes from a house move five years earlier, or even unkempt and rumpled clothing coving the bedroom floor. These are the people who believe that if they are fine with something why should it matter what other people think. They are their own person and no one can tell them what to do.

The "neat freaks" and retentive people justify their behaviours, as do the sloppy at the diametrically opposed end of the scale. In it is not the point of this article to suggest necessarily that either view is better or worse. Pluses and minuses can be found to argue either side. The question as it relates to computers must be which is most efficient. The non-sentient, unthinking machine that we call the computer does not care either way, but for the sake of personal satisfaction and personal sanity versus disappointment, frustration and ultimately mental hardship, you should care.

Yes, personal choice prevails, but simple has merit. The more complicated set-up has the potential to become a tangled, intertwined knotted group of cords and wires. Everything from power cords to Ethernet 10/100 cables, fire wire, USB cables, mouse cords and cables on keywords and monitors. These tangled wires can become knotted and jammed behind desks, tables, computer furniture and behind other furniture. This "mess" often only matters when something is pulled and becomes unplugged from an AC outlet or something. When things quit working, especially in our pressure filled world, we tend to notice. This realization is often followed by a choice set of four letter expletives ( @!*#)

The truth however is that it does not have to be that way. Computer furniture such as armoire (A large moveable cabinet with doors most often used for the storage of clothing or linens or to house entertainment equipment. Armoires may be fitted with drawers, shelves and/or hanging rods) hides away the clutter. There are also cable ties, alligator clips, removable hardware storage bays, collapsible furniture and hide-away nooks.

On a recent episode of "The Lab with Leo", a nationally syndicated computer instruction program hosted by Leo Laporte, guest Kaylie Lewis demonstrated how a shoe rack with its individually divided shoe compartments could be used as an organizational storage space for smaller gadgets such as iPods, cameras, and other things when holes are drilled in the back to allow for the pass-through of wires.

Ultimately, messy or neat, organization or disorder - it's all a matter of personal choice. However the simpler something is, the less can go wrong, the less can get lost, and the less stress you will feel. Isn't that the ultimate goal anyway? --One less thing to worry about in an already stress-filled world.

Mom was right all along - simple is best. (The 'KISS Principle' applies to computers too. Who know?)