Reader Vince Horan has manfully responded to Sneak’s request for duff IT products invented right here in the UK. “I vote for the ICL One Per Desk (OPD) ‘executive toy’ of the 80s. The best bit was the telephony unit with programmable automated phone answering. With its very limited vocabulary, the trick was to try to get it to say something rude. The best we could manage was, ‘My secretary is on my private_s please have phone in my ring’. Note also the OPD was rebadged by BT as Tonto, which means ‘silly’ in Spanish.”
Vince helpfully provided the location of a screenshot of the limited OPD vocabulary so that Sneak was able to verify that he has not lost his marbles.
Further suggestions for the UK hall of IT shame gratefully received.

12 Jun 2006