Industry to get holiday boost

Holiday cheer is expected to hit the computer industry, market researcher International Data Corporation (IDC) predicted today.

Shoppers looking to avoid the Christmas crush are expected to flood the Internet between Thanksgiving and Christmas. IDC expects more than $150 million in goods and services to be purchased on the Web during this four-week period.

Meanwhile, online subscriptions for households with a home business are expected to sign onto a service at twice the rate as general households.

"While kids may not be singing, 'All I want for Christmas is my AOL,' that's what a growing number of home-office parents are thinking," Raymond Boggs, director of IDC/LINK'S home office research, said in a statement.

He noted that while many technology products under the tree may be for the kids, the adults in the family will be the real users.

Santa Claus is also expected to bring more PCs to homes that already have one computer. IDC estimates that by the end of the year, 20 percent of PC households will have more than one computer, up from 14.6 percent a year ago.