All I want for Christmas is...

What piece of computing technology would you most like to get your hands on this Christmas? Here are the wish-lists of some of the writers you've seen in the news section this year. The best gadgets already bought, or played with, get a mention, too. Wishing for. ...more

World Net population grows to 300 million

The number of world-wide Internet users is nearing 300 million, with the UK, Germany and Italy leading the way in Europe, says a new survey by analyst firm Nielsen/NetRatings. The US is still the largest wired nation by far, with 137 million people with home access. The second is Japan, at 26. ...more

Industry and governments convene Internet Governance Forum

More than 1,500 delegates from industry, governments, and other influential bodies met today in Athens under the auspices of the UN for the first day of talks at the Internet Governance Forum. At stake is the future of the Internet, and while no actual policies or decisions will be made, the aim is to reach consensus on the key issues regarding the future governance of our online world. The Forum follows on from the work of the World Summit on Information Society, which met in Tunis last year, and will look at four main topics: openness, security, diversity and access. ...more

Russia calls for file sharing legalisation

Russia's chief prosecutor has called for p2p file sharing to be legalised, saying that it would help to combat 'piracy', according to a Russian news website. 'A threat to intellectual property rights in the Internet remains underestimated,' deputy prosecutor general, Vladimir Kolesnikov, told the country's parliament. 'Establishing legal websites could help decrease piracy on the Web,' he added. ...more

And also today (07-Feb-2001), for the record...

Here, in brief, are some of the day's other stories. Cheaper roaming Oftel is making noises about an apparent lack of competition in the mobile sector. Of particular concern is the cost for international roaming and for calls between different mobile networks. ...more