I would request that all the slime window-configuration/restoration code be moved to a contrib module.
By default slime could have a simple `bury-buffer on q' mechanism to get rid of all windows. The fancy window configuration/restoration should work only if the contrib is loaded.
Emacs has many window and frame related variables that one can customize, and display-functions that one can advise to make it work the way one wants. The current code (I suspect) makes particular assumptions that are no doubt valid for the developers but these are invalid in general.
I won't waste my breath on scenarios any more but slime always always gets it wrong: getting back to the buffer I want usually takes 2-3 window/buffer rearrange commands.
Moving the window configuration stuff out of slime would also be a step towards making much touted `simplicity' goals of slime a reality in the code rather the "mailing list concept"
-- Madhu