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

The interface between man and machine - not in a sexual way of course! Until a few years ago, the closest most people came to a "keyboard" was vigously rubbing a lump of wood in a woodwork class, inserting a few screws, the proudly presenting it to one's parents as a handy storage rack of door-keys, etc (Any self respecting parent would then carefully store offending item in the deepest darkest recesses only to be found and represented when the opportunity would cause most embarressment to the maker - ie first time girl/boy-friend meets parents).

However, we are now in more enlightened times and our keyboards have taken on a whole new identity of their own. For the vast majority of the day this plastic paperweight remains item to which the utmost respect is placed - food and liquids should never be in too close proximity, and anybody old enough to remember HHGTG first being broadcast on the wireless should never touch said object without the supervision of a minor (the same is true for video recorders, microwave ovens and Spice Girls biographies). However, place any know-it-all 14 year old in front the thing and in combination with the COMPUTER then the true use of the keyboard is apparent - only problem is once you place the 14 year old in front of the thing you have to wait so long before they finish using it, that you've lost all interest and forgotton why you wanted to touch it in the first place.