A week into his chairmanship of dynamic UK-based Web operation silicon.com, former Channel 5 boss David Elstein reveals that he thinks the Internet's total pants. Granted, some of the movers and shakers interviewed for the Guardian's regular Monday My New Media column have in the past been less than enthusiastic on the subject, but Elstein is one of the few to score straight zeroes.

A masterful piece of marketing as he plays his part in silicon.com's ambitious rollout across Europe, one might observe - in light of his views, will they be using semaphore?

But here's the full, sorry tale:

My favourite web sites

Don't have any, Elstein sulks. "I don't have the time to casually drift through web sites and I don't use the internet for entertainment - it's too laborious."

Last online purchase

Never made one. Obviously buying the silicon.com IPO spiel doesn't count.

Chat rooms

Watched one once. "I thought it was slightly sad - a way of conversing without real engagement."

Time spent on web

Less than an hour a week.

Most useful web site

None of them are particularly useful.

Most useless

Most search engines.

Least useful site

(Didn't we just have this? - Ed) Cue moan about lack of confidence in medium by advertisers and agencies.

Do you still bother with old media?
Question a little redundant, under the circs, but, er, yes.

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