Even though security and Y2K fears put a damper on local online shopping over the festive season, most South African e-commerce sites still reported an increase in Christmas cyber bucks. Phillip de Wet reports.

ITWeb took a few industry specialists by the elbow and posed the question of what they thought to be the single most important IT event or development in 1999. This is what they had to say.

Smart card technology promises to facilitate seamless and turnkey solutions for the consumer and business executives on the run. Bronwen Kausch investigates the latest smart card developments.

Speakers at the "e-commerce in the Next Millennium" at the Commonwealth Business Forum believe governments must intervene in the e-commerce revolution. Among their recommendations are liberalising hi-tech industry and passing cyber laws.

With SA`s political transition well underway, how has IT, which is widely recognised as one of the fastest growing sectors of the local economy, kept up with this radical change? ITWeb investigates.

With many companies having already installed and tested contingency plans in anticipation of Y2K, it seems the next logical step is that of setting up Plan B - disaster recovery - just in case.

When it comes to managing your finances, doing it electronically is the cheapest and most convenient method. Basheera Khan examines the status of online banking in SA and highlights the pertinent issues of the day.

Once the year 2000 bug has been beaten, what will happen to IT spending? Iain Scott asked local and international analysts to place their bets, and found that most believe IT-related spending might even improve.

With e-commerce legislation under consideration in SA as everywhere else, ITWeb spoke to some local and foreign experts and asked them about their major concerns for the local market.

Recently qualified candidates hungry for a piece of the IT pie are finding that despite perceptions to the contrary, a hard-earned MCSE qualification does not necessarily make you a sought-after commodity in the IT industry.

In the first step towards a countrywide network, a telepsychology initiative between public and private enterprise was launched on Wednesday at the University of the Western Cape. ITWeb reports back.

With Y2K fears looming ever larger, ITWeb asked some of the industry`s top analysts what IT markets can expect during the volatile millennium cross-over period.