Having tried unsuccessfully for the umpteenth time to open a video clip on the computer to aid my English coursework, I was presented with the warning sign “programme not compatible for this computer”.

Adding to the trauma was the excruciatingly slow working memory stick, the computer freezing every few minutes and the printer running out of black ink, at the very time I needed it.

Every day we go through life heavily depending on technology to work. I expect my alarm clock to go off at a painfully early 06:53 every morning, I expect to be able to turn on the radio whilst I’m getting ready, and I certainly expect the car to start every morning for my journey to school.

However, it seems that when technology fails, everything fails.

What about if I didn’t own a computer at home, had no access to one close by, and needed to write an extremely important piece of homework over the holiday?

Is it just anticipated that I am to complete the essay using pen and paper, and then have to rewrite the entire thing for every draft? This time consuming effort is not exactly acceptable, especially under the time constraints and demands of every day life.

It was discussed in the news recently how the Americans have been trying to invent a pen that will work in space, but to no avail. However, give a round of applause to the Japanese who have the perfect solution; take a pencil!!

Where would you be, if your computer, blackberry or car suddenly failed on you, would you be able to cope without it, for an entire day?