Many people buy a computer, only to find that it doesn't really fit anywhere. They can be big, awkwardly-shaped things, with a whole collection of wires and gadgets that all need somewhere to stand.

The solution is to get a computer desk. They don't cost much, and they're specially designed to hold all the peripherals a computer needs. There's space for the monitor, speakers and mouse on the top, a shelf for the keyboard, and then compartments at the bottom for the system box itself and even for a printer or scanner. A good computer desk will also have holes and routes for all the various cables that are needed to tie it all together and make it work. All you need is a comfortable office chair, and you're set.

With the rise of wireless networking, it is even possible to have computer desks in places you wouldn't otherwise have thought of, as long as you have an electrical outlet handy. All you need to do is add a wireless card to the computer and plug the connection into a router, and then you can use the Internet without having to run network cables all over the place. This works especially well in offices, where lots of computer may be networked together, or, worse, networked to one printer or server.

In larger computing environments, it is possible to get big computer desks that are set up for multiple computers, making it easier for a team to work together on them. Some desks even come with computers integrated, meaning that the working parts of the computer can be hidden much better, a bit like a kitchen with built-in appliances. However, the downside of too much integration between the computers and the desks is that it can make the computers much more difficult to repair if they happen to break.