One of the most interesting objects on Captain Archer's desk was also one of the most common -- CD racks. This feature was included to demonstrate that the show was set in the near future, with the computers and entertainment systems of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" nowhere to be seen. Ironically, the presence of the CD racks now dates the show slightly, given that no mention is made of a crew member owning an MP3 player.
A particularly notable feature of Captain Archer's desk is a statue of a man with one hand held to the sky. The statue features Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of the warp drive, who is a vital figure in Star Trek lore. This version is meant to be the Cochrane seen in the movie "Star Trek: First Contact," played by James Cromwell. Cromwell also makes an uncredited cameo as Cochrane in the Enterprise pilot episode "Broken Bow."
Archer's desk also contains a subtle nod to the original creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry. Captain Archer has a framed photo of a Pan American Airlines Boeing clipper, a sea plane and airliner. Prior to moving into television, Gene Roddenberry worked as an airline pilot and, specifically, worked as a captain for Pan American Airlines.
Another style choice that distinguished the show was its approach to technology. It featured a more low-tech, contemporary appearance, which is evident in Captain Archer's computer. While the computer featured hints of the LCARS system of touch screen controls that later series would feature, it's clearly a contemporary computer monitor, with little futuristic styling.