Cables everywhere! Snaking in and out, always underfoot, a jungle as formidible as any in Africa, a jungle which tempts me into acquiring a machete, a jungle from which Dr. Livingstone could never be delivered, a jungle which becomes bewildering indeed when it comes time to disconnect or move a gadget. Serial cables, SCSI cables, phone lines, power cords, microphones, keyboards, network boxes, ARRRRG! Dozens upon dozens of cables!

You think, perhaps, that I exaggerate? Moi? Actually, I've always wondered how many cables there actually are down there. Bear with me, for a moment, while I count them.

POWER CORDS

• 2 six-plug power strips (full up)
• 2 Mac power cords
• 2 Modem transformers (direct)
• 1 Printer transformer
• 1 From transformer to printer
• 1 External Syquest transformer
• 1 From transformer to syquest
• 1 Powerbook transformer
• 1 From transformer to powerbook
• 1 Phone transformer (direct)
• 2 Monitors
• 1 External hard drive
• 1 CD-ROM drive

• 1 Primary phone line
• 1 Primary handset cable
• 1 Secondary phone line/cable
• 1 Line daisy-chained modems
• 1 Line from modem to wall
• 2 Modem serial cables
• 1 Extra line for powerbook/newton
• 1 Serial for newton modem

• 3 Appletalk boxes (macs+printer)
• 2 Network cables
• 1 Centris to Syquest
• 1 Ci to external hard drive
• 1 External to CD-ROM

• 2 Mice to keyboard
• 2 Keyboard to Mac
• 1 Keyboard to separate 10-key pad
• 2 Monitors

• 1 Microphone
• 1 External speaker
• 1 Headset (for CD-ROM)
• 1 Serial cable for Newton-Mac link
• 1 Emergency serial printer cable

And the total is... 46!