Brake caliper position?

[GuitarTech]

I've been driving cars since 1971, but today something occured to me that I've never thought about before: On cars with disc brakes, sometimes the caliper is at the front of the disc (looking from the side), and sometimes at the back. And on cars with discs at the front and rear some of them have the calipers both at the front or both at the rear, and some have front calipers at the front, and rear calipers at the rear, or indeed the other way round. The question is: Why? What are the pros and cons of all the different configurations? I'm sure some suspension expert here will be able to tell me

[GuitarTech]

It took 10 minutes for my post to slip onto page 2, what's up here? Doesn't anybody know? No trackday aces here today?
If I'd started yet another "what car" thread, people would be tripping over themselves to tell me what I should buy and why, but an interesting tech question? No takers....

[GuitarTech]

thanks all for the answers so far. So it has no effect on suspension dive under braking? I'm thinking about the effect of newtons second law here? Or is it irrelevant?

[GuitarTech]

Calling all brake and suspension gurus! Where are they all? I'd like to know though: My VW has them both at the front, and in front of my workshop an Audi and a BMW are parked, and they both have front and rear at the rear. And I saw the Mclaren has featured in one thread has rear-mounted at the front, and front-mounted at the rear. Till someone corrects me, I'm going with the squat/dive characteristics theory.