content: <PAGE>   1
  
        As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 1999.
                                                 Registration No. 333-____________
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC 20549
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
                               SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                                     CNET, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
   
           DELAWARE                                             13-369617      
        --------------                                      ----------------
  (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                           (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
  INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                           IDENTIFICATION NO.)
  
  
                                    150 CHESTNUT
                           SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94111
                                   (415) 395-7800
  
            (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
               area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)
                               -----------------------
  
  
                          CNET, INC. 1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN
  
  
                              (Full title of the Plan)
                               -----------------------
  
  Halsey M. Minor                        Copies to:   R. Clayton Mulford
  Chief Executive Officer                             Hughes & Luce, L.L.P.
  CNET, Inc.                                          1717 Main Street, Suite 2800
  150 Chestnut                                        Dallas, Texas 75201
  San Francisco, California  94111                    (214) 939-5500
  (415) 395-7800
  
  
                        (Name, address, and telephone number,
                     including area code, of agent for service)
                               -----------------------
  
                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
          TITLE OF                  AMOUNT            PROPOSED MAXIMUM       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
         SECURITIES                  TO BE             OFFERING PRICE            AGGREGATE            REGISTRATION
      TO BE REGISTERED            REGISTERED(1)          PER SHARE(2)         OFFERING PRICE(2)           FEE(2)
  -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
  <S>                              <C>                     <C>                 <C>                      <C>    
        Common stock,              1,200,000               $111.22             $133,464,000             $37,103
      $0.0001 par value
  
  -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
  </TABLE>
  
  
  (1) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
      registration statement also covers an indeterminate additional amount of
      shares of common stock to be offered or sold pursuant to the antidilution
      provisions of the Stock Option Plan.
  
  (2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee on the
      basis of the average of the high and low price paid per share of the common
      stock, as reported on May 5, 1999 by the Nasdaq National Market, in
      accordance with Rules 457(c) and (h)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act
      of 1933, as amended.
  
  
  <PAGE>   2
  
  
  
  
  
           We have amended our 1997 Stock Option Plan to add 1,200,000 shares of
  our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, to the number of shares we have
  available to issue upon exercise of options we grant pursuant to the 1997 Plan.
  Accordingly, we are registering the additional 1,200,000 shares of common stock
  under this Registration Statement on Form S-8. The contents of the our
  Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed on August 27, 1997 (File No.
  333-34491) are incorporated by reference herein.
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   3
  
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
  the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
  all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
  registration statement or amendment thereto to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of San Francisco, state of
  California, on this 11th day of May, 1999.
  
                                           CNET, INC.
  
  
                                           By: /s/ SHELBY W. BONNIE
                                              ------------------------------------
                                               Shelby W. Bonnie
                                               Executive Vice President, Chief
                                               Operating Officer and Secretary
  
  
                                           By: /s/ DOUGLAS N. WOODRUM
                                              ------------------------------------
                                               Douglas N. Woodrum
                                               Executive Vice President and Chief
                                               Financial Officer (Chief Accounting
                                               Officer)
  
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
  Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the dates indicated:
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
                Signature                                     Title                              Date
                ---------                                     -----                              ----
  <S>                                                <C>                                     <C> 
            /s/ HALSEY M. MINOR                      Chairman of the Board,                  May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------      President, and Chief Executive Officer
             Halsey M. Minor                 
  
           /s/ SHELBY W. BONNIE                     Director, Executive Vice                 May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------            President, Chief Operating
            Shelby W. Bonnie                          Officer and Secretary
                                                      
  
       /s/ DOUGLAS N. WOODRUM                       Director, Executive Vice                 May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------               President, and Chief
           Douglas N. Woodrum                           Financial Officer
                                                        
  
          /s/ JOHN C. COLLIGAN                              Director                         May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------
            John C. Colligan
  
  
         /s/ MITCHELL KERTZMAN                              Director                         May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------
            Mitchell Kertzman
  
               /s/ ERIC ROBISON                             Director                         May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------
           Eric Robison
  </TABLE>
  
  
  <PAGE>   4
  
  
  
                                  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  EXHIBIT
  NUMBER                 EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION
  ------                 -------------------
  <S>              <C>     
   5.1*            Opinion of Hughes & Luce, L.L.P.
   23.1*           Consent of Hughes & Luce, L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 5.1).
   23.2*           Consent of KPMG LLP.
   24.1*           Power of Attorney.
  </TABLE>
  
  
  ---------------
  * Filed herewith.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 7832}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CNET INC /DE", "cik": "0001015577", "assigned-sic": "7812", "irs-number": "133696170", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-78247", "film-number": "99617387"}, "business-address": {"street1": "150 CHESTNUT ST", "city": "SAN FRANCISCO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94111", "phone": "4153957800"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "150 CHESTNUT ST", "city": "SAN FRANCISCO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94111"}}
text: 1
  
        As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 1999.
                                                 Registration No. 333-____________
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC 20549
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
                               SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                                     CNET, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
   
           DELAWARE                                             13-369617      
        --------------                                      ----------------
  (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                           (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
  INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                           IDENTIFICATION NO.)
  
                                    150 CHESTNUT
                           SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94111
                                   (415) 395-7800
  
            (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
               area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)
                               -----------------------
  
                          CNET, INC. 1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN
  
                              (Full title of the Plan)
                               -----------------------
  
  Halsey M. Minor                        Copies to:   R. Clayton Mulford
  Chief Executive Officer                             Hughes & Luce, L.L.P.
  CNET, Inc.                                          1717 Main Street, Suite 2800
  150 Chestnut                                        Dallas, Texas 75201
  San Francisco, California  94111                    (214) 939-5500
  (415) 395-7800
  
                        (Name, address, and telephone number,
                     including area code, of agent for service)
                               -----------------------
  
                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
          TITLE OF                  AMOUNT            PROPOSED MAXIMUM       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
         SECURITIES                  TO BE             OFFERING PRICE            AGGREGATE            REGISTRATION
      TO BE REGISTERED            REGISTERED(1)          PER SHARE(2)         OFFERING PRICE(2)           FEE(2)
  -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
  Common stock,              1,200,000               $111.22             $133,464,000             $37,103
      $0.0001 par value
  
  -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
  (1) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
      registration statement also covers an indeterminate additional amount of
      shares of common stock to be offered or sold pursuant to the antidilution
      provisions of the Stock Option Plan.
  
  (2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee on the
      basis of the average of the high and low price paid per share of the common
      stock, as reported on May 5, 1999 by the Nasdaq National Market, in
      accordance with Rules 457(c) and (h)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act
      of 1933, as amended.
  2
  
           We have amended our 1997 Stock Option Plan to add 1,200,000 shares of
  our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, to the number of shares we have
  available to issue upon exercise of options we grant pursuant to the 1997 Plan.
  Accordingly, we are registering the additional 1,200,000 shares of common stock
  under this Registration Statement on Form S-8. The contents of the our
  Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed on August 27, 1997 (File No.
  333-34491) are incorporated by reference herein.
  3
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
  the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
  all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
  registration statement or amendment thereto to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of San Francisco, state of
  California, on this 11th day of May, 1999.
  
                                           CNET, INC.
  
                                           By: /s/ SHELBY W. BONNIE
                                              ------------------------------------
                                               Shelby W. Bonnie
                                               Executive Vice President, Chief
                                               Operating Officer and Secretary
  
                                           By: /s/ DOUGLAS N. WOODRUM
                                              ------------------------------------
                                               Douglas N. Woodrum
                                               Executive Vice President and Chief
                                               Financial Officer (Chief Accounting
                                               Officer)
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
  Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the dates indicated:
  Signature                                     Title                              Date
                ---------                                     -----                              ----
  /s/ HALSEY M. MINOR                      Chairman of the Board,                  May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------      President, and Chief Executive Officer
             Halsey M. Minor                 
  
           /s/ SHELBY W. BONNIE                     Director, Executive Vice                 May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------            President, Chief Operating
            Shelby W. Bonnie                          Officer and Secretary
                                                      
  
       /s/ DOUGLAS N. WOODRUM                       Director, Executive Vice                 May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------               President, and Chief
           Douglas N. Woodrum                           Financial Officer
                                                        
  
          /s/ JOHN C. COLLIGAN                              Director                         May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------
            John C. Colligan
  
         /s/ MITCHELL KERTZMAN                              Director                         May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------
            Mitchell Kertzman
  
               /s/ ERIC ROBISON                             Director                         May 11, 1999
     ----------------------------------
           Eric Robison
  4
  
                                  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  EXHIBIT
  NUMBER                 EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION
  ------                 -------------------
  5.1*            Opinion of Hughes & Luce, L.L.P.
   23.1*           Consent of Hughes & Luce, L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 5.1).
   23.2*           Consent of KPMG LLP.
   24.1*           Power of Attorney.
  ---------------
  * Filed herewith.