It's easy to think of Comdex, the monster computer trade show currently in progress in Las Vegas, as a city within a city. The cynical (who, us?) could call it a city of vapor within a land of fantasy, but the sheer size and aspiration of the event calls for a certain awe. Think of it as the equivalent of the Grateful Dead parking lot for chipheads. As befits a thriving community, Comdex even has an e-zine. The Show Daily features everything from summaries of the keynotes to product announcements to columns by various industry luminaries. It's all refreshingly compact, and provides a concise snapshot of the unwieldy event. Also check out the live webcast site for spy cams, chats, and video clips. Daily: "http://daily.comdex.com/" Webcast: "http://webcast.comdex.com/"
NETSCAPE PREVIEWS WORKSPACE CONCEPT BEYOND THE BROWSER
Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale unveiled Constellation during his keynote speech at Comdex, and immediately upped the ante for Microsoft in the browser game. Constellation can best be thought of as an information workspace that goes beyond the browser as an information presentation, organization, and creation tool. It appears to be a souped-up desktop environment which will also allow you to receive netcasts in various media and have access to your information and applications while away from your home or office. Netscape has committed to running Constellation on all platforms which now support their browser. This site has a short but informative presentation. Expect the press to go nuts. "http://home.netscape.com/comprod/tech_preview/index.html"
NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR FEATURES DESCRIBED
Netscape has just released pages describing what the next generation of browser and collaboration tools, now called Communicator, are capable of. More than just a browser, it's a set of applications that includes a browser, e-mail client, calendar, HTML editor, and workgroup collaboration applications. Definitely interesting. "http://home.netscape.com/comprod/products/communicator/index.html"
READERS CALL US ON LOOKSMART REVIEW
After last issue's review of the Reader's Digest LookSmart site, we got a couple of letters which castigated us for not giving the site its due. Well, we're opinionated, but not (yet) infallible. In particular, we'll cop to being quite wrong about the amount of content at the site, which is indeed extensive. Put it down to a misreading of the user interface. Apparently, LookSmart also got some angry letters from the gun crowd complaining about a ban on firearm content. It's more a ban on gun advertising than firearm content, as spelled out in their "About Us" section. See our Letters to the Editor for more info. As it is, the second look allows us to again urge you to take a look at the Java version of the site, a great example of what you can do with the technology. For the record, we actually rather like what they're doing. "http://www.looksmart.com/"
Yup, another installment. Read up on LookSmart, Halloween, Madonna, and the pneumatic Ms. Pamela Lee. Oh yeah, also the usual flames and compliments. "http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/letters/letter.02.37.html"
Codie Smith was reasonably normal before he worked for Walt Disney, but some time back this junior at Southwest Texas State University landed a five-month gig as a "seasonal cast member on the custodial staff" at Walt Disney World. In a word, he had to haul the Magic Kingdom's trash. The result was not only a cleaner Walt Disney World, but a slightly weirder Web and Codie. He presents "The Trash Cans of Disney," a repository for every imaginable bit of information you could wish on Disney trash cans (which, aside from the ones that might talk, look basically like everybody else's). The site is a labor of love and looks it. If it's trash on Mickey you want, here's the spot. "http://www.swt.edu/~CS22517/"
If you're feeling dead tired after a hard night's surfing, you might find some heavenly rest at the Roman Catacombs. No, this is not an after-hours club, but the real cyber-thing: a tour of the subterranean Christian burial grounds of Rome. In the more than 80 that lie beneath the outskirts of Rome, the common and the saintly rest together. Sounds creepy, but the site is anything but. It delivers a scholarly review of the catacombs' history and illuminates the symbolism in early Christian funerary art. Brief tours of selected catacombs delve into the history of the sites and some of their more famous residents (the catacombs of St. Callixtus boast 16 popes). Spend enough time underground with the dead and you'll see it's a spiritual tour you're on, not historical. "http://www.catacombe.roma.it/welcome.html"
THE MAYFLOWER AND THE PLYMOUTH COLONY
Whether you are a descendent of those who ventured to America on the Mayflower, or are simply interested in the rich history surrounding the passengers of this famous ship, you will find a treasure of all types of information here. It includes a long list of Mayflower and colony resources: wills; passenger lists; first-person accounts; historical info links; genealogical sites; common Mayflower myths; a FAQ section; and much, much more. "http://members.aol.com/calebj/mayflower.html"
REMEMBERING THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE
It's not exactly a pleasant historical memory, but the Great Fire of 1871 certainly left an indelible mark on the people, property, and personality of Chicago. Some would even venture to say that the post-fire rebuilding of the city was the creative spark for Chicago's can-do attitude, innovative architecture, and towering skyscrapers. All thanks to Mrs. O'Leary's lantern-kicking cow - or so the story goes. For the 125th anniversary of the big event, this site puts some cool perspective on a topic that's particularly hot this year. "http://www.chicagohs.org/fire/"
The National Historical Society's History Net brings online interesting facts about movers and shakers who have been. Several text articles each week feature various high points of history, written in a fun accessible style. Follow a teaser about the Battle of Tewksbury to the full-text version. Use the nice search engine to find your facts about aviation's past, the Civil War, Vietnam, or any other topic of the more than 160 entries online already. Browse through this date's memorable events or test your history prowess with the daily quiz. It's a painless way to learn about where our world has been. "http://www.thehistorynet.com/"
We're bringing you a lot of history this week. Bored with historical facts? Then log on to what your teacher left out of the curriculum. Find out how one memorable evening Peter the Great forced salad and vinegar into the nose of a banquet guest until he vomited blood, then got the other guests pissed on wine and in the middle of the night made them chop down a forest to make a new walkway. Did you know William the Conquerer was so fat when he died that his body burst during burial and stunk up the funeral? Exams should be as insightful. "http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~four/histfacts.html"
This refreshing home page is full of insights into Scott Christensen's life. Devoid of cool site links or ego-boosting graphics, it's honest, confrontational, and startlingly funny. His bike (Old Yella), his attempts at juggling (start with hankerchiefs, then introduce some knives), his night thoughts (the lifetime repercussions of reading poems out loud in English class), and his one skill (perfecting an old Jewish man's accent, with audio sample) are all detailed in candid banter. Setting a precedent for quality. "http://www.webcom.com/~sc/welcome.html"
IMPRESSIVE KIDS COMPETE ON THE WEB
ThinkQuest, sponsored by Advanced Network and Services, is an upcoming contest for teams of 12 to 18-year-olds working locally or via the Web to come up with Web tools or pages to help teach their peers in several categories. Prizes include college scholorship money for participants and cash awards for both coaches and schools. The deadline for submission of proposals is Jan. 31, 1997. Check out the finalists for 1996 which include Java applets that render fractals in your browser window, a virtual introduction to artists throughout the ages, and investment strategies for kids with online audio business news updates. These kids are taking to cyberspace like ducks to water and the world will never be the same again. "http://tqd.advanced.org/"
It's rare for a site to be so well written you simply cannot stop reading. Such is the site devoted to the story of the first blind person to climb El Capitan (a great whopping rock wall) in Yosemite. Photos accompany the tale, which comes with plenty of background on the climbers, and is just plain compelling. You can even find out how they "do their business" at 3000 feet, should you be so inclined. "http://www.terraquest.com/highsights/index.html"
Q, of course, is the mechanical mastermind behind James Bond's gadgets. This site is a fake CIA museum, filled with a number of incendiary and spying devices. The creations are supposedly based on real schematics and technical drawings from the Agency. Even if they aren't real, they're pretty interesting. Our faves include the dental bridge transceiver and the infrared watch. Yes, they've found a way to make a Rolex even MORE expensive! "http://www.inch.com/~dna/"
PSYCHOTHERAPY VOYEURISM OR SIMPLY A SERIAL FOR PARTICIPATION?
The Company Therapist, hypertext entertainment and creativity, lets readers enter the world of Dr. Charles Balis, a psychiatrist who primarily sees employees of a large computer company in San Francisco. Visitors can explore the most personal records and examine the therapy session transcripts. Readers are also invited to become writers and to create their own patients and therapy sessions. You might call it Soap-on-a-Web. "http://www.thetherapist.com/"
FATTY ARBUCKLE AND THE FIRST HOLLYWOOD MURDER MYSTERY
Roscoe Arbuckle didn't particularly care for his famous nickname. He cared even less for being accused of murder. To discover the story behind the headlines, drop in on Arbucklemania, a site devoted to the silent film comic. There's a full filmography, as well as some interesting factoids. The real story however, is the death of Virginia Parre and how it destroyed Arbuckle's career. Though hardly an exact analogy to the OJ Simpson drama (a.k.a. the Neverending Story), a comparison shows just how little the lot of suspected celebrity murderers has changed in 70 years. "http://www.uno.edu/~drif/arbuckle/"
THE WORLD'S MOST WANTED CRIMINALS
Ever wonder what it would take to achieve "Most Wanted" criminal status in your city, state, or country? Hopefully not. But if you're the least bit curious, it does involve a lot more than simply jay-walking or double-parking. Now you can see the "baddest of the bad" for yourself by viewing an overwhelmingly thorough line-up of mug shots and case histories of today's most wanted robbers, murderers, and all-around thugs. Contact information is provided so you can provide the authorities with possible leads. "http://www.mostwanted.com/International.html"
I OWE, I OWE, SO OFF TO SURF I GO
The About Work Web site is - well, all about work. Whether you're hunting for your first job, considering working from home, living the hectic life of an entrepreneur, or feel like chatting with others about your job, this site has something for you. The graphics are cool, and the categories are clear. If you're secretly surfing on your office lunch hour, it won't take you forever just to find the right link. "http://www.aboutwork.com/"
A team of journalists, photographers, and video artists from Utopia, a global Internet development and consulting firm, began transmitting stories about life in China in mid-October. They will continue to send digital dispatches through the month of November. The group will visit five cities in five weeks and there are special provisions for classroom participation. You'll find beautiful pictures and interesting reading, along with QuickTime VR, RealAudio, and Shockwave presentations. "http://china.utopia.com/"
Two nerds, who at one point used a flashlight to see their map in broad daylight, decided to check out the only American highway Depeche Mode ever sang about. Mark Evangelista and Glen Golightly have investigated Route 66 from tip to tail and discovered the best roadside attractions. See for yourself with the back-seat-driver cam. Their best advice, should you decide to follow in their tire tracks, is to break the law by bypassing the barricades at the end of the road near Santa Monica ("Tell 'em Bob said it was okay") and do the trip properly. "http://www.chron.com/content/interactive/voyager/66/"
If you're planning to see the USA by automobile any time soon, you might want to stop by this wonderfully automatic road-trip router before you exit the driveway. Currently a demo site, AutoPilot gives you a personal itinerary from city to city, from road to road. Going from Boston to Bakersfield? Easy. Heading from Pierre to Peoria? Not a problem. You can even work in particular points of interest, including hotels and restaurants. Approximate travel times and mileage are included. Go ahead... take it for a spin. "http://www.freetrip.com/"
Ever felt woozy because of too much junk food and flat soft drinks on the road? Check out the best truck stops, drive-ins, home cooking, and Mexican spreads in the US and Canada and you'll never tempt malnutrition on the road again. Read the travel stories (How the "Lock Babes" saved one family from highway death), nominate your favorite spots, and find out the answers to your most asked travel questions, like "Why are cops outside that place?", "Where have all the Burma Shave signs gone?", and "What is Chili Size?" Jack Kerouac never had it so good. "http://www.eathere.com/"
WANDERING ITALY GOES THE DISTANCE
In the mood for a little Italy? Take this ambitious audio, video, and VRML tour. You can see, hear, and almost taste Florence, Venice, Siena, and other scenic cities. After you've taken the complete tour, there's room for you to share your own travel stories, pictures, video and sounds. A modern browser is a must and slow connection speeds may lead to a frustrating visit. "http://www.spottedantelope.com/wander.htm"
OH TO BE IN SCOTLAND, NOW THAT AUTUMN'S HERE...
The Scotland site will tempt you to travel that "land of contrasts". Want to stay in a farmhouse? Sleep in a castle hotel? Follow the links to their great deals on travel, eating, hotels, etc., and you'll want to pack your bags tonight. The online magazine is excellent. It includes events listings, accomodation guides, and even a chance to evaluate some souvenirs (buy your souvenirs before you leave - a new way to shop!). "http://www.holiday.scotland.net/"
This is not the ultimate French tourism site, but it's not bad. There's a pretty extensive look at, of all things, canal boating in France as a holiday. Surprisingly enough, you can get just about anywhere in France by boat. There's a bit of info on restaurants, hotels, and things to do. The links to other sites on French tourism are excellent and worth dropping in for. "http://franceway.com/"
Vote here to help define how happy the Net is. After you vote, a whole new world of happiness data will unfold. "http://www.happynet.net/"
The net-Scrabble Web site lets you watch or participate in online Scrabble games. You can choose whether you want to play a private or public game. There's a section on rules, if you haven't played since that rainy day in 1973. "http://yoda.udw.ac.za/~scrabble/"
The "What Is" site offers definitions for all those high-tech terms that high-tech techies tend to babble. From shovelware and multiplexing to avatar and bot, the definitions are online. Something to study before that next job interview, or Scrabble game. "http://whatis.com/"
Does it tire you to/read your USA Today?/Here's the solution: "http://www.newsoftheday.com/"
THE MOTHER OF ALL STAR TREK SITES
There's a new Next Generation movie coming out, and both Deep Space Nine and Voyager have shown recent, unexpected signs of life, so here's the mother of all cliches: a Web Star Trek page. It's pretty good. "http://www.stwww.com/"
College students write. They chat. They hang out. They watch music videos. They, and you, can do all that and more here. "http://www.takeme.com/"
The Weekly Web Poll features a new poll every week. It's instant, and either insipid or intriguing, depending on your taste. The poll when we wrote this was whether you prefer MacDonald's or Burger King. "http://www.dreamscape.com/throb/"
For the price of your name and address you can play Final Bell, a real-time stock market simulation game. Set up a portfolio and you may win $10,000 for building the best. Safer than the real thing and maybe more profitable. "http://www.finalbell.com/"
The Internet Beggar has no scruples. Just fill out a form to help out a tragic stranger with no cause or work ethic. It takes Mastercard, Visa, checks, and cash. It's from Irational, so they probably consider it art. "http://www.irational.org/skint/"
Here's a site that's notable because the classified ads can come with an image of the item for sale. Now all we need are personal ads with images. We'd find out what "slim" and "blonde" really mean. "http://www.monash.edu.au/~gpap4/webads/"
If you want to learn about HTML, this site is the place for you. From the basics (what is HTML?) to the more complex (programming CGI), you can get help here. You'll also find information on third-party programs to add to your HTML; HTML-specific newsgroups, mailing lists, and so forth; and examples of outstanding HTML sites. All these lessons are free; the site author only asks that you complete a feedback form. "http://www.quadzilla.com/"
Working on the Web? Then you need to bookmark this. Everything you need to build or maintain a Web site is here, from JavaScript tips to a downloadable non-dithering color palette, all tied together with a beefy multi-level search engine that sits in its own window for fast referral. Also links to cool sites for the surf-only among us. "http://www.webreference.com/"
It's a good idea, a one-stop shopping site where you can compare, select, and snag whatever hardware you want, but in practice Ziff-Davis's Computer Shopper NetBuyer seems a bit rusty before its time. Server errors pop up, pages take days to load, and the product selection seems oddly truncated. Growing pains undoubtedly, so it seems best to place the bookmark and check back in a couple of months. "http://www.netbuyer.com/"
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