Why is "The older desktop computer," better than, "The desktop older computer"? [duplicate]

This could be a moderately pedantic point, however, as a native English speaker the word order of,

The older, desktop computer.

somehow "feels" more correct than

The desktop, older computer.

Is this just me being odd, or is this an actual rule in English?

To be clear, in this context, one can have a "desktop computer" or a "rack computer".

Solution 1:

As BillJ pointed out in a comment, an Attributive Noun + Noun, especially a well-known thing like shoe store, laptop computer, fire extinguisher, etc., is rarely separated by an adjective.

Many of these attributive nouns overlap in nature with adjectives of purpose, but the first (attributive/descriptive) noun forms a practically inseparable bond with the following noun; the pair defines the thing or concept.

For example:

A suitable plastic table.
A suitable, sturdy, plastic card table
(a square table with foldable legs especially suited for (card) games with up to four players).

A successful three-day sale
A successful three-day fire sale (a sale after destruction/damage of a business by fire)

A long business letter (type of letter)
Our 18th Annual Going-Out-Of-Business Sale
(humorous store banner in a cartoon, but still a type of sale)

We bought giant yellow water noodles for the kids.
(tube-shaped floats for the water).

A business opportunity (a type of opportunity)
A golden business opportunity

Adjectives before the noun + noun still are used in the typical order that grammar books explain to learners of English; however, native speakers use the "correct" order instinctively because usually only one or two "sound right." I don't remember ever being taught the order as a native speaker of English, and I'd have to mentally try out combos to check a grammar book's order.

If we want to invent a rule, you can think of a noun + noun as if written noun-noun ( a single thing or concept), with any intervening adjectives a no-no. :-)

And last, but not least (or perhaps least amount of clothing), a hit pop song from 1960:

An Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

[itsy-bitsy] [teenie-weenie] yellow [polka dot] bikini
(Polka dots: a decorative pattern with large dots).