The mind would appear to be fairly deft and rapid in its on-line operations: is it really incapable of referring to rules even when under conversational pressure?

It subsequently merged on-line operations with Citysearch, an on-line city guide, and sold 40 percent to the public.

Other corporations have started to merge their on-line operations with Internet start-ups to create publicly held units.

Thus, ad revenue from British papers' on-line operations was a measly $31.3 million last year.

Now some retailers of the so-called bricks-and-mortar variety, like Borders Books, are not only creating Web sites but are integrating their on-line operations into their stores.

Under the reorganization announced yesterday, Microsoft has been divided into five separate divisions, and two veteran executives have been named to head its troubled on-line operations.

Datek, they say, is hoping that its profitable on-line operation can survive, and indeed thrive, unscathed by the investigations, making a public offering possible at a much later date.

The on-line operation, for example, might be sold to America Online as a way to expand its subscriber base, he suggested.

Ulrich Lissek, a spokesman for Deutsche Telekom, said there were no plans to merge the European on-line operations of the three companies.

She is an account executive in merchandising and promotions for the on-line operation of the Barnes & Noble bookstores, in New York.