"As an industry we need to say we're not about creating new technology anymore. It's about the fact that this is increasingly a consumer phenomenon, driven by consumer behaviour. In You've Got Mail Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were not downloading Java applets." - Marc Andreessen, founder of Netscape and one of AOL's recent recruits on the benefits of targeting consumers with easy-to-use devices and effective communications tools.
"Yesterday there was an attempt by an unknown person or persons to unlawfully gain access, and it was unsuccessful. As a precaution the FBI has shut down the site temporarily." - FBI spokeswoman Debby Weierman speaking last Friday. Computer security analysts have tied attacks against Government sites, including the US Senate which also had to be taken offline, to recent actions by the Houston division of the FBI against suspected criminal hackers.
Monitor compiled by Conor Pope. Page layout by Sarah Marriott. Text-only email to computimes@irish-times.ie preferred (rather than fax, post, phone). No attachments, please. Private correspondence should be marked "Not for publication".