Chinese checkers

-- (Credit: Divya)Chinese officials are retreating from their controversial plan to install an internet filtering system on computers in the

country. But only somewhat. The country's industry and information technology minister, Li Yizhong, said, "the notion a

filtering programme would be required on every new computer was a misunderstanding spawned by poorly written

regulations."

He said all public computers in schools and internet cafes must install the filtering

software, Green Dam -- but the government "respected the choice of individuals who do not install it".

Wen Yuchao, an influential blogger, said, "Green Dam will be a mini great firewall placed inside every personal computer. The

real logic behind it is that China is a big kindergarten in which even adults are treated as children that need to be

protected."