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My home computer crashed at the weekend. That's a technical term, of course. It didn't decide to throw itself in front of a bus, although I was tempted to help it on its way. Why, after all these years, are home computers so unreliable? I mean, the PCs we use here at work are probably not much better, but at least we have a whole department of highly trained technicians who can come to your rescue. You want to see these guys in action. One phone call and they drop from the sky like members of the SAS. (Obviously I'm trying to butter them up, just in case my office machine decides to down tools in support of my domestic machine).

Why is it, though, that when you buy a PC you can't just take it home, switch it on and be guaranteed a few years of reliable service? Oh no, you've got to consider anti-virus software, firewalls, online support, warranties...you've got the picture.

Unlike, say, a radio. We have radio at home that we bought thirty years ago and it's still going strong. I'm sure diary readers out there can easily beat that record. In fact, it's very hard to kill a radio. Believe me, I've tried. I was forever exploring the gubbins inside transistor radios and wondering what would happen if you snipped this bit or pulled out that bit.

I once poured 3-in-1 oil into a radio and I could still pick up Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Radio 1. Of course, that was in the era when most of the D.J.s sounded oily so it just added to the effect.

Anyway, a man is coming round the house this morning to either fix my home PC or condemn it to the skip. Mrs Z is fully briefed to ask all the right questions including the BIG ONE..."How much will this cost?".

So, that's my excuse for no postings over the weekend. And I had so much to tell you. Oh well, there's always tomorrow..