Liane Cassavoy

When you think of a computer hacker, who comes to mind? It could be this: a teenage boy, sitting in his parents' basement, turning his attention away from his video game long enough to break into his school's computer network so he can alter his grades before they're officially released.

Scott Richter talks about spam, spammers, and how he's making the Internet a better place. Although he's been called the Spam King, been labeled one of the most prolific spammers in the world by Spamhaus 's Registry of Known Spam Operations, and been sued for spamming, Scott Richter calls his business electronic marketing. His company, OptInRealBig.com, sends more than 100 million e-mail messages every day. He is settling a lawsuit filed against him by Microsoft Corp. and the New York State Attorney General. An edited transcript of PC World's (U.S.) conversation with Richter follows.

The New Year is often a time to make a new start. Unfortunately, that includes viruses, worms, adware, spyware, and all the threats that pose a risk to your PC. In 2003, you have plenty to worry about, and experts warn, those threats aren't always what you expect.

A new report released Thursday by the AEA (formerly the American Electronics Association) offers good news and bad news about the job market for high-tech workers. The good news: Job losses have slowed dramatically, and the market could be ready to rebound. The bad news: The rebound is far from certain.