Apparently virus attacks on computers have not been as virulent or as costly as they were last year. On the other hand it is extremely difficult to calculate the time wasted removing relatively benign but persistent virus worms like Sircam and Nimda. It is nevertheless this task that has preoccupied many systems administrators in 2001. As well as the traditional attacks via infected e-mail attachments, new viruses like Goner and Gokar are also able to infiltrate on line chats and even Web pages, by exploiting flaws in Microsoft’s Internet Information server. This should not worry companies too much, as they are far better informed about and equipped to deal with virus attacks, than they were before, both in terms of prevention and reactivity. Not to mention all the added vigilance that has followed in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11^th . There does seem however, to be little that the world can do to prevent the continued sophistication and tenacity of viruses and worms. Viruses, which have now spread onto Linux systems and wireless devices, have become part and parcel of computing and, as we have learnt to do with their biological counterparts, we will have to co-exist.

After the disastrous launch of Netscape Communicator version 6 in 2000 it seemed that this year, the choice of internet browser would be limited to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, its clones, and Opera. This has proved almost correct. Internet Explorer is now employed by around 87% of internet users according to Web side story. Unfortunately for site developers, who have to provide compatibility with all three browsers, between 10% and 13% remain faithful to Netscape. These die-hards were offered some help in June with the new, improved (and much corrected), version 6.1 of communicator but whether assistance arrived in time to reverse the downward trend remains to be seen. Not to be outdone Microsoft also launched its own version 6 this year with a fair degree of success as did the Norwegian software developer Opera.
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Nigel BARNETT