The major news Web sites like MSNBC.com, CNN.com, and CBSNews.com may have began their coverage of Tuesday's tragedy by offering the big graphics, live audio, and video that accompany landmark events, but as people flocked to the Web to get the latest information, the heavy traffic volume rapidly resulted in server gridlock, and staffers rushed to distribute server loads and put up text-only sites, in an effort to make information as accessible as possible.

In a bid to better compete with Sun Microsystems Inc., IBM Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. in the e-business and telecommunications arenas, Compaq Computer Corp. Tuesday unveiled its new AlphaServer GS series systems, billed as the fastest of machines designed to run Unix.