The media`s three "Ss", sex and scandal sell, can still be relied upon even for an innocent information technology orientated Internet publication such as ITWeb.

If you needed any more reminders that it`s the silly season in the Northern Hemisphere, surf on over to www.phoneshui.co.uk.

Last week saw the reverberations of WorldCom`s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing as local and international markets tried to come to grips with the news.

Software patents make a mockery of the collaborative network that is the Internet and today`s drive towards open standards in the technology industry.

The various recent "creative accounting" fiascos have highlighted the intrinsic need for trust.

With WorldCom filing for bankruptcy, there will undoubtedly be a local impact, although it is difficult to predict what this will be.

Government projects to promote sustainable development in certain business sectors could be the key to bringing public confidence back on tech`s side.

The hype around better and more comprehensive online identification systems is driven by one thing: money. The fact that my details may get sucked into a corporate-controlled database in the supposed interests of "convenience" terrifies me.

The WorldCom scandal dominated the international world of IT and telecoms last week, while the battle between AT&T and Telkom stole the local headlines.

A recent report by the Office of the Information Commissioner reveals that small business is ignorant of its obligations under the Data Protection Act.

Just about everyone is talking about Web services, from Microsoft which heads up the lobby, to the likes of Sun and IBM, and yet no one really knows how Web services are going to work in reality.

Leaner times have largely put paid to the E-ideal. It`s now time to get back to basics, and start reaching for the C-ideal.

Warren Buffet invests in a telecommunications company and the share price gains 60% in an eye-blink. What does it mean? Maybe simply that common sense is back in fashion.