Back then, Windows 3.1 was still widely used and Windows 95 had only just been introduced.

There wasn't much demand for home networks anyway - PC penetration rates were still low so it was rare to have more than one computer in a home.

Another barrier was the high cost of networking equipment.

The "home networking" market simply did not exist at that time, and consumers had the "privilege" of buying networking equipment at corporate prices.

Nearly 10 years later, things have changed dramatically. Nowadays, both computers and networking equipment are much more affordable.

The Government and private sector have also sponsored various computer ownership schemes which have boosted PC penetration rates in Malaysia.

It has become increasingly common to find more than one computer per household, with some people owning a laptop while having a desktop PC as well. In addition, Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows XP Home Edition, makes it easy to set up a home network with various "wizards," help files, and auto-configure programs.