As I wandered around London Olympia I tried to work out what year it was. The dolly birds in hot-pants who rode around the exhibition on roller-skates handing out freebies provided the clue that it was dot com boom time. Another factor to note was the near-total absence of mobile phones. Only a couple of people could be seen holding bulky black implements to their ears.

When I saw CA on the UKOLUG stand I made a guess of 1998. He replied that I was just one year out: I’d actually travelled back in time to 1997.