Cool Web Sites
by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the September 1998 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter
Kool for Kids!
Jokes for kids and for those of us who never grew up. This site is aimed at
children aged 10 and under.
AltaVista World Index
Digital has launched the AltaVista World Index, which for the first time
provides Chinese, Japanese and Korean users with a single Web search tool. It
uses Unicode to store all character information for all languages so you can
search multiple encodings for a given language - with a single query. This
allow users to search for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as Central
European, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish and other languages from
one location, yielding maximum results, quickly and easily.
Microsoft/Justice Department Editorial Cartoons
A new web site features political cartoons about Microsoft from top newspaper
cartoonists around the world has been launched. The site is updated daily
with the newest Microsoft cartoons from more than fifty award winning
cartoonists including Pulitzer Prize winners Jim Borgman, Mike Peters, Jeff
MacNelly, Mike Luckovich and Signe Wilkinson. The cartoons depict Bill Gates
as "Gateszilla," Darth Vader, and an octopus, among other things.
IBM Internet 2
IBM has launched a new Web site aiming to inform readers about Internet 2,
the new, next generation Internet will interconnect universities and research
establishments. The site includes details of the projects IBM is supporting,
news about Internet 2 and more.
Keeping In Touch With The Family
FamilyPoint is a new Web based service designed to keep dispersed families in
touch. The idea is that all members of the family will access their own site,
enabling them to stay in touch, share information and more. Features include
an address book, bulletin board, photo album, datebook, and an area to share
Internet links.
Make A Button
If you want to make buttons for your Web page, you'll have no problems once
you've visited MediaBuilder's Buttonmaker. This will turn any GIF image file
into a bevelled button. It works on static or animated images and will
produce a button from an image you upload or one on the Internet, provided
you supply the location.
Anchor
Anchor is described as a new community space and information resource for Web
developers. Like most similar sites, it features great design and includes
everything you could be looking for, like an index to web development sites,
a bookstore, conference listings, tutorials, and the chance to interact and
share ideas.
Calorie Control
If you're looking for information on cutting calories and fat in your diet,
achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, or your favorite low-calorie,
reduced-fat foods and beverages (and the ingredients that make them
possible)... this site's for you.
Home, Low Calorie Sweeteners, Fat Replacers, Trends and Statistics, FAQs,
What the Labels Mean, Recipes, Winning Weighs, Calories Still Count, Let's
Get Physical, Companies and Products, What's New, Other Great Sources, The
Press Room, For Health Professionals and Educators, Search
New York Skyscrapers
This is a study of New York City's most striking architectural entities, its
high-rise buildings -- or "skyscrapers" -- which have given the city much of
its nature and prestige and have in fact largely formed the impression of
this city in people's minds.
Comic Art & Graffix Gallery, Virtual Museum & Encyclopedia
Are ya' maybe just lookin' for a cool place on the internet where you can
read all about comics, their history and their art?. Then check this site
out.
Berinstein Research.Com
Paula Berinstein has placed here statistical resources on the web by subject,
and picture resources, as well as links to the online supplements to her
invaluable books, Finding Statistics on the Web, and Finding Images on the
Web
Online Math Archives
The Mathematics Archives include materials in several areas including
software, including public domain and shareware; teaching materials,
including online graphing calculators, tutorials, lecture notes, Web pages
and K12 resources; lots of links to both math and science related Web pages
and more. The archives are searchable.
Devil's Dictionary
If it's been a while since you spent some time with Ambrose Bierce's mordant
view of the human race, try this site and remind yourself that an OCEAN, is
"A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made for man -- who
has no gills," and that POSITIVE means "wrong at the top of one's voice."
Kids Click
Searchable subject index from the UC Berkeley Digital Library SunSITE, with
1800 choice sites whose annotations include reading level as well as content,
including Facts/Current Events, Science & Math, Fine Arts, Wierd &
Mysterious, Health & Well-Being, Popular Entertainments, Religion &
Mythology, Home & Household, Sports & Recreation, Society & Government,
Machines & Transportation, Literature, Reading, Writing, Speaking,
Computers/The Internet, and Geography/History/Biography.
Web Search Services in 1998
This useful article by Susan Feldman from the June issue of Searcher compares
ten search engines for features, intended audience, special capabilities, and
results. This issue also features an excellent article on accessible web page
design.
Ask Jeeves for Kids
The intelligent agent at Ask Jeeves has added another level of service by
taking kids' natural language questions, refining them (it gives you back a
series of relevant questions and asks you which ones you want), searching
several of the major search utilities, and running the search results through
Surf Watch to guard against inappropriate results.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress's web site which explains the services, answers FAQs,
explains the magazine program, and links to lists of braille books and
talking books.
Tech Shopper
From CMP, publisher of 14 computer publications, news, hardware and software
reviews, FAQs, instructional articles, reader comments, and an applet
library.
US Government Documents Ready Reference Collection
Major government data collections, law, and handbooks, arranged by broad
subject area. Incredibly useful.
Edmund's Automobile Buyer's Guides
In addition to giving info on 34 major brands of new cars, 27 major brands of
new trucks and 38 major brands of used vehicles (back to 1988), it has an
auto loan calculator, a guide to buying a used car, and a VIN checker so you
can find the previous history of a used car.
Road Report
Before you go traveling, check this AAA site to find out where heavy duty
construction might slow you down.
Government Sites for Kids
Everybody from the Federal Emergency Management Administration to the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have sites for kids,
where they can learn about butterflies and the gray wolf, Mars and volcanoes
and acid rain, bicycle safety and drug prevention and lots more.
The Best Of The Net
It took them almost three years but Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib),
the Web gateway services specialists in UK higher education, have produced
seven excellent resource guides pointing to 15,000 of the best sites on the
Internet. The indices cover subjects including: art, design, architecture,
media, biomedicine, business, engineering, history, social sciences and
conflict studies.
How To Do Field Searching on the Search Engines
This article from Online tells you which search engines allow you to search
which specific fields (URL, images, date, title, language, etc.) and how,
with a handy comparison chart.
E-Mail Jokes
Back before email, jokes used to circulate from office to office via fax and
copier. That's why eventually the same joke signs would end up in everyone's
office: "You want it WHEN?"; "Your mother doesn't work here"; and so on. With
email, this process has sped up exponentially; a particularly good joke may
end up in your email three or four times by the end of its run. This site
collects the various funnies that circulate through the net with ferocious
rapidity and archives them.
The Fabulous Market Babe
Decidedly Different Stock Market Commentary
The FMB features an "Amazing Quote of the Day," stock picks, market reports,
a "Stock of the Day," and other Wall Street stuff, delivered with panache.
Tipping
As they say in the service industry, "Tipping is not a city in China." If
you're confused about who to tip, where, and how much, this page may help you
out. The maintainer says it's not meant to be definitive, merely a guide, so
don't quibble with him about the amounts.
Cover Your Tracks With Window Washer
Aimed at people who share a personal computer and want to protect their
privacy, Window Washer will "clean" your hard disk, removing any data or
information that might let people know where you've been surfing. Window
Washer cleans all the standard locations that tracks are kept, like the
Windows recent document menu and the recycle bin. It also cleans up the
tracks from popular programs like Netscape, Internet Explorer and ICQ. A free
trial version can be downloaded.
Federal Judiciary Home Page
The official home page of the United States Federal Judiciary offers
information about the US court system, news and information, links to online
courthouses and related resources, publications, job opportunities and more.
It includes a search engine so you can get fast access to the information you
need.
News For Nerds
Slashdot.org is a great site for anyone interested in what's going on on the
Internet. The site brings links and discussion on the kind of news that Unix
system engineers, Internet junkies and plain old nerds love - technology news
in depth from all over the Web!
Free Computing
For those of us who dig on free software and related stuff, this site is a
good find. Here you'll get links to freeware, free tech support, free web
services and more.
Yes Mag
Billed as "Canada's Science Magazine for Kids," Yes Mag on the Internet is
the online edition of a print magazine. You can find the latest science and
technology news written for kids, information about kids in sciences,
projects to do at home, brain bumper quizzes, features, explanations to how
things work and reviews.
World's Tallest Buildings
Got a building over 1,000 feet? Or just think they're neat? Here's your
ezine. Buildings under construction, articles on existing buildings, photos,
technical specs, and more, including a fun "fantasy skyline" with a bunch of
super-tall famous buildings scrunched into one postcard.
Literary Marketplace
If you are a writer, this is an invaluable resource, the online version of a
longtime print publication. Lists of publishers, agents, trade services and
resources, including small presses, lecture agents, editorial services and
reference books. Check it out.
Laugh Break
Laugh Break is a compilation of the best of the best of clean comedy on the
internet.
Dictionary Resources
Trying to find the right word but don't know exactly where to look? If the
Web of On-line Dictionaries doesn't help, the word may not have been created
yet. It's that extensive: links to more than 500 dictionaries in 140-plus
different languages. Includes a Linguistic Fun section to take things a step
or two further. (Or is that farther?)
TerraServer Atlas
After a rocky start, Microsoft's new TerraServer atlas seems to be ready for
prime time. It boasts nearly 4 "terabytes" (4 trillion bytes) of uncompressed
aerial and satellite Earth photos. With a few mouse clicks, you may even find
your own home or office. (You may still experience some delays.)
Bicycling 'Zine
If you don't ride a bicycle, you may decide to start after checking out this
info-packed site brought to us by the magazine Bicycling. The Bike Finder
lets you search through 4,500 specs. Then learn the basics and do some fine-
tuning at the Skill Center. Pump up your motivation with daily reports and
features on things like the upcoming Tour de France.
Year 2000 Presidential Campaign
The next presidential election may be two years away. But that hasn't stopped
the campaigning. C-SPAN lets us keep an eye -- and ear -- on the campaign
trail with a new White House 2000 feature. An audio archive that promises to
provide unfiltered access to the events and activities of key political
figures and potential Democrat and Republican candidates.
La Nina Predictions
You thought all the strange weather conditions from El Nino might be a thing
of the past maybe? Then you haven't heard about La Nina (a.k.a., "The Little
Girl"), which tends to bring nearly opposite effects. Let NOAA fill you in
with historical background and climate predictions.
Online Privacy
Whenever you're surfing the Web, chances are somebody or something is
watching you. Here's a site that lets you know what kinds of information
you're telling "them." Along with helpful advice on how to protect your
privacy online. (Be patient because the site seems to attract a lot of
users.)
Online Journalism
Seems like you can't tell who owns online news outlets without a scorecard.
Which is what Online Journalism Review attempts to provide with an in-depth
report. You'll also find an archive of features focusing on a wide range of
hot online/tech topics. Published at the Annenberg School for Communication,
but you don't have to be a news junkie to appreciate this.
Plug-in Plaza
Here is where you find the links to all of the plug-ins available on the net.
Simply find a plug-in you're interested in view what platforms it currently
(or will 'soon') support and click on its link.
Mr Smarty Pants Knows
Looking for a factoid? Do a single keyword search from Mr. Smarty Pants'
subtotal of knowledge about accordions, dinosaurs, language, religion,
superstitions, sports, Texas, washaterias, and the world of business and
economics.
Buzzword Bingo
The new game everyone is playing in the office is the novel Buzzword Bingo.
Basic Buzzword Bingo involves setting up a list of buzzwords (on bingo cards)
for a group of disgruntled meeting attendees. Players cross out buzzwords on
their bingo cards as they're mentioned in the meeting. The first meeting
attendee who crosses out five buzzwords in a row on their list wins. Bingo!
The Virtual Bible Museum
The first web museum based on the most significant and popular literary work
of all time, this on-line museum features Christian art exhibits and an
educational section on the history of the Bible, illustrating the Bible's
influence and impact on culture, arts, and humanities throughout history. The
site also features Christian Art Exhibits of the Great Masters like
Michaelangelo and Rembrandt, and a Museum Store that contains treasures such
as beautifully framed pages of a rare First Edition King James Bible from
1611 A.D.
Active Worlds
Active Worlds takes chat communities to the next level, using avatars to
enhance the chat experience. You can explore more than 300 worlds in real-
time, 3D, high-color graphics. Own land and build anything you like on your
property. Meet people and interact as a fully 3D, lifelike, animated figure.
Use objects as hyperlinks to send mail and surf the Web. In these worlds
there are games, rides, puzzles, and mazes to keep you amused as you interact
in the virtual community.
E-Z Legal Interactive
Ever wonder if you could have saved some money on legal fees by filing your
own forms? Spend some time investigating this site and you'll find that while
very few people know that it is often inexpensive and easy to file your own
title deed, will, or other documentation, it can be done and they are here to
help. The world's largest publisher of self-help legal products, E-Z Legal
provides software, kits, and guides for legal forms for business, real estate
and personal use. They really make it quite simple - just select the forms
you need, fill in the blanks and customize the text, and you're on your way
to being your family's Perry Mason!
Create A CD Online
The Music Connection Corporation's Music Maker, which allows anyone to create
and purchase a custom audio CD, is increasing the number of titles available.
There are over 130,000 titles from major independent record labels online and
an additional 75,000 are expected to be added soon
Free High Tech Stock And Financial News
Day Traders On-line is about to begin offering news stories, trading
information and stock market content to visitors for free. Visitors to the
site will receive a reduced version of news and information throughout the
day as provided to subscribing members of the site's Trading Desk service,
which is geared for active day traders and short term investors.
Download Your Desktop
TUCOWS (The Ultimate Collection of Web Software) has launched FreeThemes, a
collection of "Theme" software for Microsoft Plus. Themes are collections of
icons, graphics, and sound files that combine to give a specific look and
feel to the computer user's desktop. There are more than 1,600 themes online
now so if you didn't like those supplied with Windows and you just can't
design your own, check it out!
Free E-mail With An English Accent
Web Mail has launched a new Web-based e-mail service that offers anyone a
free e-mail address for life. What makes it a little different to the many
other such services is that it's based in the UK and provides "co.uk" e-mail
addresses. So, if you're in the UK, or want someone to think you are, sign up
today.
Mr Long Term Care
Information on long term health care.
Chinese E-mail Without A Chinese OS
If you read Chinese but don't have Chinese language support on your operating
system, a new Web based e-mail service makes it possible to receive Chinese
e-mail. SinaMail displays received messages as graphics, rather than text, so
anyone with a graphics-capable personal computer can receive and read Chinese
language e-mail.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
This page has been accessed
times.
Tulsa Computer Society 10/1/98
Don Singleton, President
djs@ionet.net