3-axis machine configurations

Just for the sake of discussion, I wonder what everyone thinks of
the various possible axis configurations for a 3-axis CNC machine.
I know if any of you are like me, you've spent way too long trying
to decide on the perfect configuration for your "iron". Here are
some of the layouts I've seen:

1. knee mill (ala Bridgeport)
2. bed-type mill (as in many vertical machining centers, and some
horizontal machining centers)
3. moving gantry (as in many wood routers)
4. bridge-type (portal design?) with moving table and vertical
slide mounted to cross-slide on bridge
5. bridge-type with moving table, "cutting" head mounted to
cross-slide, and vertical axis accomplished by raising and
lowering the cross-slide with a 2 screws (like in some jig
grinders?)
6. gantry type, but with cantilevered cross-slide (some make of
router?)
7. stationary table, with traveling column (like in some really
huge 3-5 axis mills)
8. knee mill with ram-type y-axis (like some Deckels)
9. inverted vertical lathe
10. (insert your own here)

The list could go on and on. I'm curious about the perceived pros
and cons of each layout, and if there is an optimum combination to
be found in terms of travels, stiffness, cost, compactness,
flexibility of workpiece sizes, reconfigurability of "cutting"
head, etc. I want a machine to be capable of everything,
including:
- metal cutting, including steel
- hot wire foam cutting
- surface grinding
- wire EDMing
- sinker EDMing
- horizontal boring
- lathe turning
- jig grinding
- glue dispensing
- engraving
- plasma cutting
- etc,etc
all with minimal changeovers or modifications.

I could have finished many projects in the time I've spent
evaluating and sketching different configurations. It's kind of
fun, though; a nice mental exercise (the things we think about to
relax...)

Or am I just alone on this??

Carlos Guillermo
VERVE Engineering & Design