Xbox Live is truly a great invention- seamlessly allowing millions of gamers the opportunity to log on and spend a few hours fragging, racing or pinata’ing each other over the phone lines.

Why is it then that the majority of Xbox Live seems to be filled with pre-pubescant 10-year-olds with no manners and absolutly no knowledge of the real world, who instead live their entire lives in a coccoon of high-speed light and sound and think they have the right to call me a “Noob” at every opportunity.

When I log on after a hard day at work, all I want to do is shoot some stuff, then log off and relax with TV and a decent meal. The last thing I want is to be constantly pestered by kids who have no right to even be playing 18+ games.

That’s where Xbox’s friends option comes in- having the ability to meet my friends online, team up, and take out as many of the annoying kids as possible in one go is a real boon, and the only thing that is keeping me sane when I log on for my occasional fragging session.

So I urge any sensible gamer to start making friends online with haste, in order to be saved the horror of being driven insane by squabbling ten-year-olds with all the manners of a house brick.

Either that or start using the mute button.