It was typically cynical of Reg news editor Rob 'The Pond' Blincoe to question wearily who on earth might want to use an illuminated keyboard.

In his recent piece - Light up my keyboard, he ill-advisedly noted that one manufacturer of such frivolities 'doesn't explain why you might be in a dark room full of people and your computer'.

A good point. Or is it? Not according to Peter Reeves-Hall:

...Because you work in a laser laboratory and sometimes you need to turn the lights off to accurately measure low power signals and access the PC that is in the lab. automating some of the processes....

Well, illuminated keyboard designers will be relieved to know that there's an vast untapped market in the laser lab sector.

But how are they going to sell the thing to the non-boffin? Guy Eastwood and his mates at work have been throwing around a few ideas:

The boss wants one when he's in the car (not driving) in the dark and uses his laptop. I want one so I can see OK to type when the g/friend wants to sleep. My colleague wants one for playing halflife in the dark with speakers turned up full.

Hmmm. We're sure that readers can come up with something more ludicrous. Accordingly, we'll give Reg lapel pins to the best three suggested uses received by 5.00pm BST Thursday 7 June. Email your ideas to us here. Mark the subject of your email 'keyboard'.

Bootnote

If you really do need an illuminated keyboard, why not fab one yourself? Chris Shallcross did just that, and kindly points you to www.coolcasemods.com. Chris combined the company's 'neon string' and a translucent keyboard to produce the effect pictured above. Lovely. It cost around £35, he notes. Chris provides details on the mod here.