"We expect these machines to become increasingly appliance-like - like your VCR. When it breaks, you throw it out."- Intel executive vice president and general manager of the company's architecture business group, Paul Otellini, speaking at the launch of Intel's new set of chips.
"We in Ireland fully recognize the critical importance of an e-commerce-friendly environment if we are to retain existing overseas investment. . .and compete for and attract the new digital industries of tomorrow." - An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, announcing a strategy for making Ireland a hub of electronic commerce including an agreement with fibre-optic networks company Global Crossing to supply an Internet-ready global "super-highway" to Ireland by mid-2000.
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 Private correspondence should be marked "Not for publication".