A joint AOL and Roper Starch study of 500 children between the ages of 9 and 17 found that 63 percent of the youth surveyed would rather surf the Web than watch television, while 55 percent prefer being on the Web to being on the telephone. The study also polled 1,000 adults, 42 percent of whom say they buy merchandise on the Web, up from 31 percent in last year’s survey. Internet rookies are averaging 6.6 hours a week online, while those with three years of Internet experience stay online an average of 10.5 hours per week, the study found. Both children and adults say they use the Internet to compose letters, chat in real time, play games, and download music. Children between 9 and 11 years old go online an average of three days per week, while those between 15 and 17 years old go online an average of

five days per week. Two thirds of adults and children surveyed said they would prefer a computer with access to the Internet rather than a television or phone, if stranded on a desert island. [Damn right, how else are you going to play network Quake or watch proteinTV]www.cnet.com