42

It's my opinion that the famous number in H2G2 "42" stands for a lazy written $@ on an english keyboard. As you know, $@ stands for anything you can tell to another command. And it is lazy written as it's missing the SHIFT key and the quotes.

Well, both is very human. No, not to err, but to be so lazy and let away something which is of no importance. Like the shift key. Or quotes. Well, you know all those 1337 people out there never using the shift key? Gotcha!

-Tino, 2006-08-10
PS: Another idea is, that "42" stands for "$@" which is pronounced "Dollar At". And well, yes, that's all you need to know about this Universe. At least our universe here on this planet. As when there is no dollar at wherever, it is not of any importance in capitalism. If you do not agree you apparently live in another universe.