Worker and Computer

A worker using a computer. Britons are spending so much time with computers they have developed a personal attachment to them, according to research published. Gone are the days when workers dreaded the thought of a day in front of their terminal. Many now pine for their PC when they have to switch it off while for others the emotions they experience are even even stronger. The survey by pollsters MORI found 28% of adult users and 60% of children are extremely fond of their computer. 22/04/2004: Billions of pounds are being wasted every year on company computer systems, partly because of a shortage of software engineers, according to a new report Thursday 22 April 2004. Businesses need more staff with the skills to commission and follow through complex projects, said the Royal Academy of Engineering and the British Computer Society. 18/10/04: Patients using the internet to find out information about chronic disease rather than listening to their doctor could be putting their health at risk, research by University College London suggested. Using interactive computer tools, such as online support groups and chatrooms, does help improve the knowledge of people with conditions such as asthma and diabetes and provides positive feelings of social support. 03/12/2004 Chat rooms are set to become chatting up rooms - as one in ten men looks to the internet to find a partner, according to a survey published. 15/12/2004: Two companies based in New York have been fined 100,000 each for targeting internet users in the UK with a costly scam, it emerged. Almost 2,000 people complained they had been left with large telephone bills after being duped by the firms into connecting to the net at up to 1.50 a minute. They are among the latest victims of so-called 'rogue dialler' scams which have increased rapidly in recent months. (Photo by Chris Young - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)