Everyone knows that personal computers can be among the most infuriating of those items designed to "help us" in our daily lives, but a new survey shows just how annoying they can be.

Research conducted for ICL recently showed that 68 per cent of respondents would rather spend a weekend with their in-laws than deal with PCs which refuse to allow them access. One in eight people even found PC failure more stressful than being left by a partner.

Some sad people out there. . .