We may buy it in a flurry of excitement to get on the Web or as an educational tool for our children, but it seems that once we get it home, we ignore our brand new PC and it sits gathering dust. The PC's new status as an ornament has been revealed by research from the States. Five years ago only 29 per cent of the US population had access to a PC at home, but nearly everyone who had one, used it. While ownership has nearly doubled to 54 per cent, usage has fallen to 53 percent. Access to the Internet is proving an insufficient inducement to those who do not use their PCs. Only two thirds of those who could be online actually are. Overuse seems to be behind the PC's slide from functional to decorative. Dr Roberta McConochie, research director at Arbitron NewMedia commented: "Apparently many consumers deal with PC's at work. By the time they get home, many of the technology-weary users prefer to wind down and spend time with their families than spend more time on a work like PC." ®