If it wasn't government sponsored, then it was promulgated by some individual or group with substantial resources (a hitherto-unknown botnet, perhaps.) They need to be found out and put away for a few years. On the other hand, if it was sponsored by the Chinese leadership it means they're attempting to extend their brand of censorship worldwide. In which case, they also need to be put away for a few years. Oh man... DDos doesn't always need substantial resources. All you need to do is write a web page that runs some javascript and send it you people and claim this is an act of patriotism. Recent western media reports, riots in Tibet and pro-indepedence protests around the world(some are violent) had fueled Chinese nationalism to a new high point.
So it's not botnet or anything, it's just an act of nationalism, and the attackers are not bots, they are human, but probably they don't have an appreciation of the effects.
Slashdot Mirror
Don't you see this isn't gonna be a flame war. It's just one-sided IE bashing, which means more page views
Have to say, you're damn right. CS had never been all about programming. If it is, you could have learned it without going to college.