If only hitting the panic button to hit the virutal boss somehow was voodoo controlled to give my real boss some.........education ;-). Still we can't have everything can we.

Is this lame trick not out of date yet ? A mock-up spreadsheet, how used is that already ? Is this another beancounter-only piece of kit ?

I'm a programmer. If I am looking at a spreadsheet it will only be marginally better than playing a game - I'm supposed to be coding in my GDI, not punking around with cells.

I'd wager a simple Alt-Tab would be a lot more useful for hiding a screen, although that won't hide the stonking big red-and-yellow plastic thingy attached to my PC. Am I to expect that the boss will just ignore it ? That he doesn't know what it is and what it can do ?

After all, even managers read El Reg from time to time.

Pascal.

A programmer called Pascal... How cool is that?

I'm off to change my name to c++

Bearing in mind that you can't install software on most Windows PC's in an office environment I rarley see the point of this type of device. If it flashed and made noises powered by USB but did not use the display it would be much more attractive.

While surfing the net the otherday, I came a cross a little usb controlled hamster wheel in which the faster you type the faster the wheel goes round, now I know this may be a bit sick but get a hamster for work and when your feeling stressed just slammed down on the keys on the keyboard and watch the poor thing spin out of the wheel and magically land in your boss' tea/coffee now isnt tht much better than BIG RED BUTTON!!

What would really be useful(!) is a panic button that is small enough to be attached to a keychain and, when pressed, emits "oh noez! the green phosphorescent liquid escaped its containerz!!11"-type alarm sounds. So when you're in any kind of sticky situation, even if away from a computer, you can take out the panic button, flip the cover, press it and save your friends with the power of laughter. <insert happy ending icon here>

This is too cheesy and not worth spending the $17 for IMHO.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/06/usb_missile_launcher/

If you have the ability and the cash, getting the USB Missile launcher would be the best tool to unload some stress. With the precision accuracy of a Desert Storm era Scud, you CAN hit your boss with one of these babies.

I'm waiting for the USB device that blares out "there are people starving in Africa!" everytime I buy another pointless USB device.