This is becoming a very interesting discussion! It's really two inter-related topics: aesthetics and usability.
If it's OK with the moderators, I'd like to suggest starting a new thread, with a title along the lines of "Control Panels and Switchboards". I think I can find lots of pictures of vintage beauties to post.
For example, here are a couple of Bell System test consoles from the 1970s. These were installed at the hardened underground "main stations" on the L4 coaxial-cable system, which was an important part of the nation's long-distance network before fiber optics became the dominant medium:
http://long-lines.net/tech-equip/coaxial/L4RCC-1.html http://long-lines.net/tech-equip/coaxial/L4RCC-2.html Look at all of those knobs, buttons and meters - even a built-in oscilloscope! I'm sure the modern-day equivalent is just a Windows PC on a desk somewhere.
[This message has been edited by Albert (edited 09-07-2006).]
