When the Internet first began, many were quick to dismiss it as just another fad. No one would say that today. The World Wide Web has revolutionised global communications.

One gauge of the Internet's growing power is the increasing unease with which it is viewed by large organisations. The latest to pounce is the Great North Eastern Railway.

It has forced the closure of a website set up by disgruntled passengers. On these pages, GNER stood for Getting Nowhere Early or Reliably.

The company's lawyers said the site, a parody of the official version, was a trademark infringement.

Already the Internet has proved to be a wonderful weapon for all manner of dissidents. Lawyers have failed to shackle it effectively. Virtual reality is difficult to control. Perhaps this is why corporations view it with such suspicion.

Meanwhile, at York Railway Station, the clocks have stopped - all at different times. Is this a clever ruse to ensure that every service arrives on time, according to one clock at least?

see NEWS 'GNER blocks Internet site'

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Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.