But when they are out of the office for work or on vacation, other employees can reserve their spaces, either through an online system or at a computer terminal in the office.

WSJ: Warming Up to the Officeless Office

The new systems include an online booking system, e-prescriptions and fast computer network links between NHS organisations as well as the electronic records system.

BBC: Electronic records is one part of the ?6.8bn IT upgrade

He told BBC News Online he felt NHS Direct nurses relied too heavily on a computer system to guide them as to what course of action is best for a patient.

BBC: NHS Direct referrals criticised

Yesterday Google unveiled Chromebook, a new kind of computer that uses the Chrome operating system and stores everything online.

FORBES: Nothing But the Web

In terms of access, some worry that as banking moves further online, the old, the poor and the computer-illiterate will be excluded from the financial system.

ECONOMIST: Consumer banking