Yet another car ride in which I betray my inner geek.

OSCAR:  Do you like robots, Dad?

MARK:  Robots are pretty cool.

OSCAR:  If I invented a robot, I would invent a robot that would write messages.

MARK:  There are already robots that can write.

OSCAR:  Really?

ME:  Yes, they’re called "plotters."  (Sighing, as my memory takes me back to freshman year.)  I love plotters.  They’re so much fun to watch.

MARK:  Of course, they don’t use plotters anymore.

ME:  Really?  So engineering diagrams are just drawn on big, you know, printers now?

MARK:  Yes, you know, the print head just moves across, and the feeder just moves the paper along.  Big roll printers.  That’s what they use now.

ME:  Like a big inkjet?

MARK:  Yup.  No more watching the carriage come over to change pens. 

ME:  Well, that kind of takes all the romance out of it, don’t you think?

OSCAR:  Are we home yet?