Rogue Spear Takes the World by 'Storm' and Amazon Presents New Service

Red Storm's "Rainbow Six" has become one of the most popular computer games around, and this week it is third in the country.

Rainbow Six is an international, anti-terrorist team, and they are back with "Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear." Hostages in a New York museum must be saved.

Using your keyboard, you become a member of the team. Graphics and sounds are very good, but the real challenge is planning the mission.

A blueprint-type floor plan turns into a textured overhead view of the building. The object of the demonstration is saving hostages from the museum.

There is shooting, but unlike many first-person shooters, there is little blood. "Rogue Spear" is challenging and hit store shelves this week.

If it is as popular as the original "Rainbow Six," it will sell well over a million copies.

Red Storm is putting the "Rainbow Six" team on consoles byNintendoandSonyin time for Christmas

In August, "Rainbow Six" ranked third amongallsoftware sold behind "Windows 98" and a utilities program.

Amazon.comseems to want the whole world to come to its Web site. First, it was books. Then, it was music. Now, Amazon.com is after small retailers with itsZshops.

The company contends small shops will be easier to find.

"If you set up at Zshop, you get all of the 12 million customers at Amazon.com passing right by your store," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO.

Retailers pay $9.99 a month in fees plus up to 5 percent for each transaction.

Amazon.com still is not making money and will not sell everything online, but it may become the biggest flea market online.