h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Anybody know the precise technical differences between: apartments, condos,
townhouses, and duplexes/triplexes/n-plexes? I've been trying to figure this
out for a long time.

,,,and while you are working that out, is their any difference between a townhouse and the bungalow next door except age?

An apartment is a general term.
A flat is just that - a single level apartment.
A townhouse is a two or more story apartment, and a townhome is usually the same thing but for purchase instead of lease.
A condo is usually another word for townhome, but not always; see also patio home.
A plex is a division of a home / apartment building / multi-family dwelling.

All of the above are amazing ways to make lots of money, given that you own the property in question. If you are the poor sod who signed the lease, it's better than a drug habit as a means of throwing away money.

Wow. What are you like on villas, semi-detached, infill, cottages, baches, cribs, units, ignoring me.

what do you call a bit of plastic stretched over a park bench? When it rains the laptop fills with water!

In the country I believe they are called pig sties. As for the city we will have to wait for the expert to return

Here in the southern US we have perhaps the most quaint of portable rental units; the trailer or mobile home. It is neither. They are pretty much assembled at a trailer "park" (not a park at all), and left to settle into the ground, after which another one is assembled on top of the ruins of the previous one. This is also predominately true of the people who live and breed in them. These people are known as Rednecks. Their habits and history are best documented in the novel Celebration, by Harry Crews, Simon & Schuster, 1998. Rednecks are best known for such sayings as: "As soon as we win the lottery, we’re gettin’ all new stuff for the trailer." A typical evening spent in a "trailer park" is generally accompanied by a lot of beer drinking, dog barking and random shooting.

We have a similar place in New Zealand. It is located in South Auckland and it is where a lot of the Polynesians live. Very colourful if you enjoy spray can art.

many people live in apartmemts in Shanghai - matter of fact the average living space is 6 sq metres per person. las tyear they bulldozed approx. 1,000,000 od 'unsatisfactory' housing. It has bee raining here for 10 days and looks very much like Venice (without the churches or the other problems associated with plaes of worship)

A good millenium project would be to put the leaders of all the main religions and most of the minor ones on a deserted island somewhere in the Pacific with the bare necessities of life. Give them a year to sort thier differences out then pick them up again. 1st sign of trouble back to the island.

Nice one! Made me laugh.

As for the plastic sheeting (viskween) stretched over a park bench, I call that home.

Well at least the plastic will keep your computer dry.

I've also heard it said that "it aint home until you take the wheels off"