The arbitrary nature of estimations of Internet use in the State - whether by private research groups, Internet service providers, the Government, Internet surveys, or the drunk guy on the barstool down at the local - was underlined in this week's issue of Business & Finance.

In one article, we were told that 19 per cent of Irish households have Net access. At the other end of the magazine, the figure was given as 14 per cent. The Margin has seen "official" estimates as high as 22 per cent.

Suspiciously, figures seem to go up and down depending on the source's own interests. Companies that want to offer Net-related consultation and services tend to stress the high numbers, while those who would gain from fears of low Net use, such as those with products they'd like to sell to a Net audience, go for the low.

The Margin's still waiting for someone to define what "Net access" and "Net use" means, anyway, since there's a huge difference between a regular, several hours a week user, and someone who's dabbled a few times.