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If we listen to the government's spin then we're number one and doing very nicely.

If we listen to some of the other reports however, our performance is abysmal and getting worse.

Then there are the overseas consultants who tell us that we are so far behind the rest of the world that our broadband uptake should be considered "a complete disgrace".

And, just to make things even more confusing, I read a story on the Stuff website that attributes our lacklustre broadband uptake not to price or availability -- but to our lifestyle.

Well, just quietly, and although it's something of a taboo to suggest that your competition is anything less than 100% straight-up, I've never been afraid to express my opinion that the Stuff/Infotech IT section's editorial policies are far too advertorial at times. However, could this article actually be hitting the nail on the head?

Hands up all those who think that our free-to-air and pay-TV options are just so damned good that the majority of people can't be bothered using broadband internet?

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Well somehow I doubt that -- but their may be some substance in the suggestion that we're a nation of outdoorsey types who'd rather be playing sport, camping or just enjoying the natural resources of this country in preference to hunching over a very fast internet connection.

But hang on -- that can't be right. I mean, haven't we just been told that we're the nation with the highest internet use per capita in the world??

That would seem to dispel the "outdoorsey" assumption as well.

No, I'm afraid I can't really agree with the conclusions Ms Howell draws in the Stuff article.

She also claims that our cheap dial-up plans are slowing the uptake of broadband -- and in that she may be closer to talking commonsense, although after talking with friends in the USA, it seems that our dial-up access is no cheaper than the same services in the USA.

If it weren't being presented as "news" by a reputable mainstream publisher, I'd be tempted to believe that this article was just another press release from Telecom

But this is Stuff/Infotech right and I'm sure my earlier suggestions that they are often away too advertorial are totally unfounded. What's more, it would be unreasonable to believe that the tone of, and conclusions drawn, in the referenced article are in any way affected by the admission near the bottom that Ms Howell "has undertaken some consulting work for the company [Telecom] and has also been given access by Telecom to the kind of Internet data that makes her colleagues in the US 'green with envy'"

I'm not about to impugn Ms Howell's ethics or suggest that she was in any way swayed by Telecom's generous hand and I'm sure she'll gladly stand behind her conclusions 100 per cent -- but this story does nothing to lift my opinion of Stuff's editorial policies.

What do you think? Would you consider that story to be news or advertorial?

Lighten Up
Yes, back by popular demand -- it's your weekly dose of the webs worst, wackiest and just plain stupid stuff.

Have you ever wondered just how hard it is to service your own computer if it were to break down?

Well now might be a good time to log onto this site and download its helpful instructions, tips and hints for the would-be home-computer fixer-upper. Yes, do it now, because once your computer breaks down it will be too late won't it?

But egads! The lighten-up folder is almost empty! Come on folks, send in those ludicrous links so that everyone can share.

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