In the early years of the internet, much was written about the online gender divide--women behaving differently than men--and the online age gap--younger people adapting so much quicker than their elders.
   One would assume that those gaps have narrowed, if not disappeared, with the mainstreaming of the web.
   They have not. 
   And all it takes to bring out those differences is a computer problem like last week's spate of worms. Faced with a crisis, the ranks quickly separate, with anger and belligerence running highest among older males. They are most likely to kick and scream at their machines than either their female contemporaries or younger users.
   Indeed, a recent study from Pollara, a Toronto research firm, found that among Canadians 55 and over, more than 40 percent react to problems with their PC by swearing, shouting, hitting and throwing things or taking out their computer frustrations on others. 
   Their anger rate reflects their inexperience with computers. What’s interesting is the depth of their reaction. Though older people have been using computers for years, it’s surprising just how volatile they become when faced with an internet problem. And a lot of that stems from ignorance.
   “Older people generally don’t know how to fix computers and aren’t as familiar with them as the younger generation,” says Allison Scully, a research analyst who directed the Pollara study.
   “So when the computers don’t end up working, the elderly are more likely to get upset.”
   Among Canadian men 55 and over, 45 percent react to problems with their PCs by swearing, shouting, hitting things, throwing things or taking out their woes on others. Forty percent of women of the same age react that way.       
   Pollara, which only polled those 18 and older, found that among males, the youngest adults are least likely to flip out when their computers malfunction. Among 18-34 men, 29 percent swear, shout and carry on. Among women, those 35-54 are best behaved when their computers falter, with only 32 percent swearing, shouting and otherwise losing it.
   For men 55 and over, swearing and shouting was the most common negative reaction, with 30 percent admitting to it. Only 16 percent of women 55 and over admit to swearing and shouting.
   The generation gap is also evident in the percentage of computer users who say they have been victims of internet crime.
    Among those 55 and older, only 53 percent of men and 59 percent of women say they have been hit by a computer virus, a worm, hackers, phishing or identity theft. 
   Scully says they may have been victimized without knowing it, while younger users, who report much higher incidences of viruses and worms of at least 70 percent, do know when they’ve been hit.
   “Older people are less likely to be aware of such things [as viruses and worms] afflicting their computers, and that ignorance would get them upset,” Scully says.
   A Symantec study conducted two years ago found a similar gender divide. The study of London computer users found that men are more likely to shout or swear at their computers than women.
   Before women resort to such measures, they’re more likely to hit random keys in hopes of fixing a problem. But women get more steamed in general about the problems they encounter.
   Symantec found that one-third of women think PCs are not worth the hassle and do not make life easier while just 20 percent of men thought so. 
   Women were more annoyed by PC crashes and slow performance. Men are most bothered by phishing schemes and spam.