As the sun sets on another busy week in the tech world, we take a look at the stories that have got our readers to give their keyboards a pounding in response.
It's been a lively and varied week in the comments section of IT Pro, with readers sharing their thoughts on everything from Google's efforts to block child pornography, the problems with smart watches and the looming Windows XP support switch-off.
We've also had a few readers poke some fun at the senior management changes at Acer, and Google's noble efforts to boost internet access in Africa.
Porn blocks panned
This week saw Microsoft and Google both vow to make it harder for users of their search engines to find images depicting child abuse.
The move follows on from months of pressure being put on the tech industry's biggest firms to act on this issue, but IT Pro readers don't seem to think Microsoft and Google's latest efforts will have much impact.
Mark Evans, who made his IT Pro web comments round-up debut just one week ago, was more critical than most, and (rightly) pointed out that this kind of content is more commonly shared on P2P networks and the dark web.
"With all of the talk about NSA snooping and the recent high profile child abuse cases across the globe, only the terminally stupid would use a search engine from two of the largest businesses on the planet," said Evans.
Only the terminally stupid would use a search engine from two of the largest businesses on the planet to look for this kind of content.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions. It is a pity that the road from hell for these children is being undermined by people believing that this type of policy will remove the market' for child pornography on the net." Well said, Mr. Evans.
Another reader who regularly finds his way into the web comments round-up, BrianM101, called for more to be done to switch off networks where illegal images and content are regularly shared.
"The only sensible solution is to ensure dark net and more open net resources peddling this material are taken down and producers prosecuted," said Bri.
"Unfortunately, there are a lot of naive and stupid people (read politicians) involved in this cleanup campaign," he lamented.
Smart watch snub
Anyone hoping to find a smart watch in their stocking on Christmas morning is going to be disappointed this year because the products are too expensive and ugly for anyone to consider buying, according to the crystal ball gazers at Gartner.
Smart watches are monumentally ugly.
John Hodgson Artist agreed with the market watcher's assertion, and declared most wearable technology products as nothing more than novelty items.
"I've never found myself in a situation whereby accessing a text or anything else I'd normally do on my [mobile] would have been more convenient if I'd had a smart watch," he said.
"Therefore, I feel they fall into that same category as the calculator watch of yesteryear, and they are also monumentally ugly." We're guessing John won't be too disappointed not to find one under his tree this Christmas then.
Windows XP wigout
Speaking of crystal ball gazers, IT Pro reader Shakeel made a frightening prediction this week about the devastating impact switching off support for Windows XP could have on some of the UK's vital services when the cut-off date arrives in April 2014.
I think Microsoft will crash the global recovery if they pull the plug on XP.
Granted, some of what he says may sound a little far-fetched, but we can't help thinking he might be right about some of this.
"I think Microsoft will crash the global recovery if they pull the plug on XP," he wrote. "Don't forget this is an operating system that has been around 10 years and still powers some ATMs, hospitals and lots of major legacy software around the world, not mention developing countries.
"[There could be] a reduction in the number of people online come the end of 2014 because of this," he added.
And finally...
As well as its plans to block access to child pornography, Google also unveil Project Link this week, which aims to make it easier for people in Africa to access the internet through the building of high-speed fibre optic networks.
It comes hot on the heels of the search giant's Project Loon. This one will see the firm harness a network of balloons to beam internet down to areas where fixed line technology is impossible to install.
Infewerwords sounded quite taken with the idea of the latter. "Do you think Google could spare a couple of their balloons for North Cambridgeshire?" Fingers crossed.
He wasn't the only reader to take a more light hearted view of the week's news, as the announcement that Acer's new CEO, Jim Wong, had resigned six weeks before his official start date caused a few readers to roll out the funnies.
Even more so when coupled with the fact the person he was replacing, J.T. Wang, had also resigned from his post as chairman, in light of the firm's recent poor performance.
"He was just Wong for the job," joked one.
"Clearly they Wang the Wong number," another retorted.
And on that "high", we end this week's web comments round-up. Cheerio.
