Web Week

Rugby runs rampant

The patterns of New Zealand life can be read in website traffic. Nielsen//NetRatings' analysis of sites that jumped in popularity from January to February gives a glimpse of our preoccupations. Rugby has been wildly successful at colonising the internet. Fantasyrugby.com, run by SpudSport, has web surfers stampeding to its interactive site to play Super 12 2005, which lets them create and manage a Super 12 side. As the new Super 12 season got going, traffic to the site surged.

Back to class

Another seasonal activity is the return to study for thousands of New Zealanders. The migration from beaches to lecture theatres, via stationery and book shops, can be followed on the web. Bookgoblin.co.nz sells second-hand textbooks - more than 4000 were listed yesterday. If sales of particular books give a hint of course popularity, then commerce and computer studies are up there - unless the large trade in textbooks in those subjects indicates waning popularity ...

Say it with flowers

No mystery over why this site had such a big month. Put it down to the power of marketing - otherwise known as Valentine's Day.