The subject of computer desk design seems to come up in every woodworking venue I've ever been in. The problem for me has always been that there are a lot of computer desks out there that are beautiful pieces of furniture, but they were apparently designed by someone who had never even seen a computer, much less used one on a regular basis.
Before I remodeled my study in 1998, I was using a second-hand executive desk that made up for its design flaws with sheer brute size. But it was way out of scale and greatly limited what else could fit into the room. So I decided to roll my own, pretty much built around the computer, monitor, and printer I was using at the time. The design drivers were size (small as possible), neatness (internal cable routing), and accessability (being able to get to the back of the computer without taking the whole thing apart).
It's aged relatively well, considering some of the changes that have transpired in the seven years since I built it:
1. Inkjet printers. I was using a small laser printer at the time, and its form factor (and the compartment designed to house it) is completely incompatible with what most people now consider "standard" for a printer.
2. LCD monitors. The design assumed a large (or it seemed so at the time) 17" CRT, which puts the viewing surface further forward on the desk than an LCD does. (Of course, as my eyes age, having a larger screen further away is a feature, not a bug. )
3. USB. There seem to be literally dozens of small widgets that hot-plug into the computer for short-term tasks. They need cables/hubs, power in most cases, and a place to put them when not in use.
4. Networks. There are cable routing issues, but mostly the network is a good thing: for one thing, it allows the printer to be somewhere else (see #1 above).
5. Power management. Modern gear has issues with the old method of turning everything on and off with a power strip.
So overall, there are a couple of things I would do differently:
1. More cable ports to the desktop, with at least two USB hubs accessable through them.
2. More power. Seems like every little widget has its own transformer brick: the single power strip down in the bottom of the desk just doesn't cut it any more. I need another one up in the top cable run, plus some utility outlets in the desktop itself.
3. It needs to be a little larger: I overreacted to the aircraft-carrier I was using before and made this one as small as possible. The room can handle another 4-6" in width and 2-3" in depth...but I still like a desk where I can reach everything from one spot.
And of course there's the fact that my woodworking skills have progressed (somewhat) since then. This one was built with a circular saw, a router, a drill, and a ROS, and the design was biased by what I thought I could do with those tools and my skill level at the time.
The attached Corel file is a rough layout of the internal partitions and gives a better idea of the cable routing than is obvious from the pictures.
Enjoy.