China may be playing catch up with the USA in terms of its per-capita income, carbon-dioxide output and overall obesity levels, but in at least one respect it is now well ahead. Or so it might seem. According to China Tech News, the world's most populous nation has taken a bold move to adopt IPv9 - while the rest of the world is still arguing about the merits of adopting IPv6. Interestingly, not many people had heard of IPv9 prior to the China Tech story, Sneak included, leading some to suspect a hoax. But if China were to develop its own internet protocol, then IPv9 would be the name of choice. According to a variety of web sites (meaning it must be true) Chinese people have traditionally ascribed different inherent qualities to different numbers. In yin and yang terms, for example, odd numbers are considered yang while even numbers are yin. Nine, being the yangest of yang numbers, stands for growth and prosperity, eternity and power. Four, on the other hand, sounds similar to the word for "death" in Cantonese, and apparently 24 sounds like "easily dies". So even if the IPv9 story proves false, at least now Sneak knows not to order dish number 4 or 24 from a Chinese takeaway.