Too bad for the French to have lost to Italy in the World Cup's final. Let's hope they find solace in their capital city's aggressive plan to develop 400 free hot-spots--63 public libraries, 200 public gardens and squares and 40 district offices of the city hall--where the French public will have free access to the Internet. We reported on the city's ambitious plan two weeks ago and IDG's Peter Sayer offers a useful update. Mayor Bertrand Delanoe takes the plan very seriously--the city will also encourage the development of new laptop-friendly public seating in a university neighborhood in the 13th Arrondissement, a district on the southeast side of the city. The furniture will include chairs and benches with integrated laptop rests and perhaps also solar-powered electrical outlets. Report