One in twenty computers with an internet connection may be harbouring unwanted "spyware" programs that can record a user's computer use, generate nuisance pop-up ads and may pose a security risk, suggests a US study.

A "hardware failure" on Monday caused the Wall Street Journal Online's Web site to temporarily suspend publishing, according to a statement from parent company Dow Jones.

Like a carnival barker executing the dot-com era's last will and testament, auction house Cowan Alexander announced the unloading of former online music star MP3.com's remaining earthly possessions: "Last great 'dot-com' equipment auction from booming Internet era ... last chance on some great deals!"

Marketers may be able to breathe easier thanks to a preliminary ruling by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office saying original HTML specs precede Eolas Technologies' patent for Web page plug-ins, invalidating its patent claims against Microsoft.

In yet another sign that the Internet has become more pervasive, a quarter of adult users have logged on outside the traditional settings of home or work.

The former chief financial officer of an Internet advertising company pleaded guilty in federal court in Los Angeles to conspiracy to commit securities fraud through a scheme to disguise bartered revenue as actual income.

Minutes after a jury found Martha Stewart guilty of hampering a stock fraud investigation, Web surfers rushed to the Internet with their own diverse verdicts on the celebrity trial.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has invalidated a claim to Web browser technology central to a case against Microsoft, a move that could spare the software giant from paying more than half a billion dollars in damages, according to documents obtained on Friday.

When five Hollywood studios announced plans for the Movielink downloadable movie service, they heralded it as a revolution in home video. Two-and-a-half years later, the revolution is still waiting to be televised.

Effectively tracking site visitors is extremely important for gathering accurate site-activity metrics. Over the last few years, cookies have gotten almost as bad a reputation as the more well-known chocolate chip variety (my personal favorite) have among the diet conscious. The former has a reputation for invading privacy; the latter for expanding waistlines.