The problem with the thumbtack has everything to do with the thumb or thumbnail to be more precise. Using it to secure something on a soft board is not a problem. The problem lies in taking it out.

The thumbtacks once stuck to the soft boards or drawing boards can never be taken out easily as they do not have anything to hold and pull out. One always ends up hurting his or her finger tips or nails. Using nails to try out a fixed pin is not only painful but also dangerous as more often than not it is rusted.

More often than not people use something else (keys for instance) which can be easily avoided by a little change in design.

Submitted by : Abhijit Kr Bairagi, IITKanpur, India