The kettle plug is missing an extra notch, which prevents a regular computer plug from being used for your kettle. The reason for this is that computer leads have evolved to carry low amounts of current, whereas kettle leads need to carry high currents. This is how computer scientists know that computers historically required larger currents to operate than they these days.
It is something of an evolutionary anomaly that the kettle plug can be used in a computer. However, when you actually try this, you will see that the kettle lead is a little short. Computer power leads have evolved longer length to enable them to reach all the way from the top of your desk to the power plug or extension lead.
You can picture the prehistoric computer, drawing a large amount of current through a kettle plug. As the computer evolved over millions and millions of CPU cycles, it required less current, and so the need for the kettle notch was eliminated. Longer leads also meant that you could choose to put the computer on your desk, instead of under it, and present an evolutionary advantage.
Computer wall plugs do differ in colour and shape, but their basic mechanical design is the same in any one country.
| Theory of Computer Evolution. | Note that these pages are in no way associated with Answers in Genesis. |