In Fortran tongue the Answer

The Daily Telegraph, one of the few non-tabloid-formatted newspapers in London, is notoriously right-wing (but I do like the Matt Pritchett cartoons on every front page). It's been accused of printing for a vastly old-fashioned audience, but I never realized how old fashioned until I spotted this advert in today's Telegraph...



...for a "portable word processor," special offer to Telegraph readers, only £159.95 (about $320). Portable word processor, my London arse...that's an electric typewriter.

I can see the thinking now as a dismayed office equipment company discovers cases and cases of forgotten electric typewriters in their warehouse: Unload the lot on Telegraph readers...they barely know how to use a calculator and think that a ballpoint pen is black magic.

The advert says

This is the perfect solution for anyone who works and studies from home, or who prefers their personal correspondence to have a professional edge...It is mains-operated and comes with a keyboard cover and integral carrying handle – all for just £159.95. Order today.

Next up for Daily Telegraph readers: a chance to buy an actual telegraph machine. Why muck about on the internet when with a few dots and dashes you can get your message across easily and quickly! And it runs on the mains!

I love that fact that England is light-years ahead of us in some technology (smartcards, cell phones, sandwich-making) yet there is obviously still a market for 1960s tech.