> >	I have just finished a Design for a client that demanded that	all components be orientated in the same direction and also all
	of them lined up, nice and neat. Great idea if I would have had
	twice the board area to work with. I know the desireability of
	this but I also like to think form follows function. Many of the
	original reasons for doing this are obsolete. The board is
	finished now but I just know placing the parts for optimal
	routing would have resulted in much shorter runs, and a more
	functional layout. What is your opinion? How are you doing it?

Jack,

I can only respond to this one question.  From an EMI point of view, 
this can lead to disaster.  Lining everything up can destroy good to 
excellent circuit partitioning by introducing cross talk within the 
ground plane.  Depending upon the family of circuitry, this can range 
from bad to really bad.  

Routing parts in a line can also force you to develop loops from 
traces that in the near field spell disaster.

Both of these leave some scratching their heads.  Others begin the 
"adding more caps", "more gaskets", or "more ferrites" game to pass FCC.

Your point about shorter lead lengths is well taken.  Again, depending 
upon what family the circuit is from.

doug