16 Responses to “[ Retro Scan of the Week ] AnthroCart”

1. Multimedia Mike Says:
   July 2nd, 2014 at 11:10 am

   Wow, the hulking, angled printer in that picture is making me really nervous.

   Yep, I’ve bought numerous desks over the years specifically to hold computers. Actually, that’s the #1 thing I use desks for. Sometimes, they’re desks designed for computers. I have a little laptop desk that I put in a spare bedroom as a minimal distraction “work at home” office, away from my normal computer setup.

2. Lucas W. Says:
   July 2nd, 2014 at 11:21 am

   “Holds 150 lbs.”? That seems like barely enough to hold that old beast of a printer, perched precariously as it is above his head.

3. idisjunction Says:
   July 2nd, 2014 at 1:46 pm

   Everyone else mentioned the printer, so I won’t 🙂

   I bought a computer desk for someone else once. I’ve always been fine with using a sturdy card table.

4. Zoyous Says:
   July 2nd, 2014 at 6:39 pm

   No, but I’ve been thinking more about it in recent months. I think investing in good ergonomics is important for the long haul.

5. Space Harrier Says:
   July 3rd, 2014 at 5:59 am

   My dad’s old 286 Olivetti was supplied with a desk similar to this one, with a shelf underneath for the printer, and it was tirelessly disassembled and reassembled with the PC during many house moves. Back then people were brainwashed into thinking that you had to have a specialised computer desk, it was as if they believed the computer would not work without it, like it was a required accessory, like a monitor or a mouse.

6. LHW Says:
   July 3rd, 2014 at 9:33 pm

   Wow. I love the period fashion. We laugh, but somewhere, the person who owns that alien piece of technology from the future can rest easily at night knowing that is still under warranty.

7. Geoff V. Says:
   July 3rd, 2014 at 9:35 pm

   Did anyone else notice the odd configuration of the keyboard? I don’t remember seeing one like that.

   Does anyone know if this is a real keyboard?

8. Benj Edwards Says:
   July 3rd, 2014 at 9:56 pm

   Geoff, it looks a lot to me like an imitation of the original IBM PC keyboard layout, which had the function keys on the side. Depending on the keyboard clone (non-IBM), some had the function keys on the left, and some had them on the right.

9. Zoyous Says:
   July 4th, 2014 at 3:39 pm

   Looks like the Anthro Corp. is still going strong: http://www.anthro.com/families/anthrocart

10. Alexander Says:
    July 7th, 2014 at 1:34 am

    Back in 1996 or 1997, I remember going with my parents to find a desk specifically for the computer I had just been given. Up until then, it was set up on the floor, and I had to lie down to use it. The desk they bought was a cheap particle board contraption that over time started to fall apart. I’m surprised that it lasted until the end of 2013 when we let it get demolished with the house.

11. Chester Says:
    July 7th, 2014 at 7:39 am

    Oh, I had at least a couple of those. What they *don’t* tell you is how the whole thing shakes when the printer is operating – in particular a 132-col like the one in the picture. Still, a space-saver for those not concerned about the looks (me! 🙂 )

12. Zac DeWitt Says:
    July 7th, 2014 at 2:30 pm

    I’ve totally bought a desk just to hold a computer, but it was never anything as hulking as that! And you can’t possible be telling me they designed that thing to have the printer be placed on top! That think could kill a man.

13. Moondog Says:
    July 7th, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    Over the years I’ve owned several computer desks made of particle board, and each one I’ve had to reinforce or modify to hold the weight of a printer or CRT. Iv’e also run into the tube frame types in sever rooms and data centers. The desks I liked the most were glass-tppped downview desks. The CRT would sit at an angle under the desktop, and would be viewed through the glass surface.

14. Asterisk Says:
    July 10th, 2014 at 4:40 pm

    Re the keyboard, it appears that it actually *is* a standard IBM 84-key layout. The position of the floppy drives on the left side of the case – something I don’t recall ever seeing on an actual AT case – and the apparent location of the wristwatch on the man’s right arm are additional clues that the entire image was flipped horizontally before being inserted into the ad.

15. Brad Arnold Says:
    July 14th, 2014 at 7:03 am

    I think Asterisk is correct. I flipped the advert and it looks right now. Looks like maybe a Leading Edge PC? It doesn’t have the “delta” badge, but everything else looks right. Probably just a clone using the same case as the Leading Edge.

16. Steven F. Sutherland Says:
    December 14th, 2020 at 7:08 am

    I purchased an AnthroCart large (72″ x 32″ x 1″ main desk shelf, with lower & upper shelfs each (72″ x 22″ x 1″ assembles) for a server setup in June of 1998. This is now 14 Dec 2020. This AnthroCart server bench still serves faithfully after 22 years. No failures, no unsteadiness, just rock solid and awesome to work at standing or in the chair. I stand (170lbs) on the main table surface occasionally to make equipment adjustments. Makes my computer operations efficient with all components located on this island. It sucks that Anthro merged with Ergotron in 2014…then Ergotron stopped production of Anthro components. Steven F. Sutherland

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