Tony's Web Log - July 2000

I've taken the easy way out. I've decided that my contribution to this web-site will be in the form of a web log - that way I can make each entry as long or as short as time and inclination permits. (And I've been asked to do something similar for the site at work, so it's a good chance for me to practice.)

There's something oddly appealing about the grey cat in the top left corner. It's scrawny and ugly but there's an air of intelligence and a view to the future ... I know, I know - it's just a piece of clip-art. Anyway, I'm making it the official mascot for the page (at least for the time being).

With the job I've got now, I find I'm surfing the web a lot more (and I can call it 'work'!) and I'm researching what the web's about and how it works. I plan to use this log as a place where I can point you at some of the quirky or otherwise interesting sites I've seen, and maybe share some thoughts about the web and life in general.

To the first site then. For the lazy web-surfer, www.etour.com is a boon. Just sit back and let the browser do all the work.

If you've any interest in the numbers side of the web, there are hundreds of sites devoted to the topic. Some of my favourites include www.cyberatlas.com, www.iconocast.com and www.estats.com. Statistic of the week (from cyberatlas I think) - the web now contains over 2 billion pages.

Another favourite site - www.refdesk.com - seems to have links to a couple of million of these pages, all neatly categorised. Sometimes it makes me feel a bit overwhelmed with choices (sort of like going into a US supermarket), but it is an amazing reference site.

Final site for today is www.keen.com. From what I can make out, it's a site where self-appointed experts answer questions in their specialist area for a fee. As a user of the service, you click on your chosen expert and are then somehow connected with them over the phone. The company that runs the service takes a cut of anything that the experts earn. Seems to be a US-only site, but it's a fun concept.

'Til later ...

Tony

Originally posted by TC