thanks, cheerios. Yeah I've opened 'er up twice already, for RAM and an Airport card; not as bad as some of the Macs I've worked with (Power Mac 8550...ugh). For the time being, it's just easier to leave the external there, but once I get a few paychecks, I might consider getting a new internal b/c they're just so cheap these days.
Juan, you're very correct my friend. <a href="http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/faq/technical_performance.html">There are 11 iMac revisions</a>, and obviously I'm not thinking straight. I was wrong on another count: I have a slot-loading Indigo "Summer 2001" iMac. As much as an evangelist I am, sleep deprivation has the same effects on me as anybody :-)
In other news, I'm still in disbelief that the iMac first revolutionized the industry in 1998! Oh how time flies...