Digital technology is transforming society, reckons AMD

The survey reckons to have unearthed regional differences about the way Europeans use and react to email. Italians worry most about the how their emails are received, the Germans and Swedes hardly give it a second thought.

Italians, it seems, can feel insulted if they receive badly-formatted or over-long emails, assuming the sender couldn't care less about the time-wasting they cause. Germans, Swedes and Brits simply think such emailers are a bit behind the times.

The French don't like the fact people can get hold of them more easily while Brits and Swedes complain most about the time they waste waiting for the computer to do what it's told. Italians simply want to learn how to get more out of their PCs, the research suggests. Researcher Benchmark Research Ltd analysed 516 online questionnaires filled in by home PC users in five European countries: Germany, the UK, Sweden, France and Italy.

Over 60 per cent of those questioned said the emailing of digital photos to friends gives them a feeling personal pride, but many also worry about whether they are conforming to the developing Net etiquette.

"The world is moving towards a society in which we can all stay in permanent touch with one another," declared Stephen DiFranco, AMD Veep. "The new digital era will be shaped by increased social interaction as well as constant technological progress."

Di Frannco is persused by the evidence, where once folk were generally angered by the encroachment of digital technology, now they embrace it in their homes. Two thirds of respondents said digital technology had changed their lives.

Ninety-nine of those questioned said they'd prefer to do without their digital camera, PDA or mobile phone rather than give up their PC.

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