Totally. That missing front-panel area? That's where the self-destruct device, based on a modified airbag detonator, was located. It was set to go off (along with the shock collar around the developer's neck) if the box strayed more than 50 miles from Cupertino.

Anyway, I guess one more point about the subject of the OP:

My pet theory about the case is that some OEM for Vertical Market integrators and all kinds of other applications was set up to mod a batch of these boxes for just about any purpose. The "finger hole" and fan mods wouldn't be something the Photo System mfr. would set up to do and the case mfr. couldn't be bothered to do such work, a jobber did it. That photo processing contraption is a huge mass of crap from over a dozen OEM's an specialty houses.

Click to expand...

... You're right about a "jobber" doing it. The brand name on the case sticker, "CONTEC", belongs to a company that says they've been around for 30 years making industrial PCs. They're undoubtedly the guys who cut the holes. (And probably the ones that stuffed it with parts, per the photolab machine company's specs.)