The Web is widely discussed as a revolutionary technological innovation, but there seems to be no generally accepted approach to trying to quantify its impact. To put it in simple (perhaps overly simple) terms, we know the Web has a value, but how much is it worth?

Like much of the rest of the world, I had been waiting several months for the Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone to be released, but I never expected it to make that kind of splash -- or the equivalently sized stink.

Teaching network security for the SANS Institute, I am frequently asked, "Will our networks ever be secure and safe for all to use?" My simple answer is: No. We will never be able to achieve total network security. I tend to use real "doors" as an analogy to make my point. Doors have been built and refined for thousands of years. Nevertheless, burglaries occur daily, even though we know how to build safe, burglar-proof doors. With the growth of the Internet, and its increasing importance for commerce, we have to keep in mind what is a reasonable means to achieve sufficient security. Absolute security should not be the goal.

I'll tell you, the online marketplace is once again taking much of the world by surprise. The difference is, unlike the past, more realistic content and venture deals are steadily pushing fuel into the fire while most new online business concepts seem surprisingly sound. Additionally, the online technology platforms and rich applications that have all matured are being released to the millions of end users that tirelessly wait to be engaged. But in this new era of speculation and even this cycle of frenzy, is it really time to double down?

The Internet must be running out of power. How else could you explain Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) seriously considering building data centers in Iceland?

Teaching network security for the SANS Institute, I am frequently asked, "Will our networks ever be secure and safe for all to use?" My simple answer is: No. We will never be able to achieve total network security. I tend to use real "doors" as an analogy to make my point. Doors have been built and refined for thousands of years. Nevertheless, burglaries occur daily, even though we know how to build safe, burglar-proof doors. With the growth of the Internet, and its increasing importance for commerce, we have to keep in mind what is a reasonable means to achieve sufficient security. Absolute security should not be the goal.

Like much of the rest of the world, I had been waiting several months for the Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone to be released, but I never expected it to make that kind of splash -- or the equivalently sized stink.

The first time I broke into our country�s electrical power grid was a decade or so ago. Hacking into the control systems set up by utility companies wasn�t surprising then, and it isn�t surprising now. While people find this shocking, it really isn�t. When you think about how insecure computer infrastructures are, why would you think that the power grid would be any more secure? Frankly, the power grid is even less secure than most other computer networks. I wrote about it many times, including some details in my recent book, Spies Among Us.

A look back in time helps clarify what's happening with the ongoing evolution of the Net. The societal ramifications are far more important than the technology.

News that Amanda Congdon has been canned by ABC News is interesting, and not just as a snippet of Internet gossip.

During the early days of Internet expansion, we were swamped by rather utopian predictions and claims regarding the future impact of the Internet and new media in the developing world.

People often ask me why I invest in both consumer Internet companies and open-source enterprise software companies -- two �such different spaces.�