Original artwork, not a still
"There really wasn't a lot this machine could do that you couldn't do yourself in half the time with a lot less trouble," said Richard, "but it was, on the other hand, very good at being a slow and dim-witted pupil."
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Richard says the machine offered little you could not do faster and more easily yourself. Its one strength, he adds dryly, was being a slow, dim-witted pupil. The joke praises the device for being good at being bad, mocking its uselessness while giving it an oddly specific talent.
Context reviewed
