Chattering Classes
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday March 20, 2004
Mike Barton shows how to get the latest gossip, find the images you need and avoid being ripped off by a broadband plan.
Smart
Blogdex
blogdex.net
We've all seen the top-five stories lists on individual websites. No wonder stories with photos of Kylie's booty are usually at the top of the list. Blogdex, which calls itself the weblog diffusion index, puts a twist on tracking hot topics on the web by using the hypertext links in weblogs to track conversations as they move from blog to blog. The result: a running list of "the most contagious information currently spreading in the weblog community".
Free
Skype
www.skype.com
From the people who brought you the controversial Kazaa Media Desktop comes a free voice-over IP telephony system which the company says provides free calls to other PC users anywhere in the world via peer-to-peer technology. The software requires Windows 2000 or Windows XP. The company says it is free of adware and spyware, unlike Kazaa.
Weird
Business Sentence Generator
www.betterworkplacenow.com/bigwords/
At the end of the day, are you a team player who is flexible, moving forward and looking to take your career to the next level? You could be - with the right corporate language. Use the big words just like the big boys, or just have a laugh at your manager's latest email when you realise they might have used this website to compose it.
Useful
Broadband packages
www.whirlpool.net.au
With broadband pricing now as confusing as mobile plans with the introduction of new lower-price teaser packages, it's wise to read the fine print before you sign a contract. If you want to get the full picture, head to Whirlpool for news, discussion and help with choosing a broadband plan. The website also has many good FAQs for PC and Mac users.
Time saver
Google Image Search
images.google.com
The world's favourite search engine also provides a streamlined and easy way to find web-based images of, well, just about anything. Image Search employs the same clean-cut interface and approach as the general Google web search. Type in the subject (for example, "Hubble Telescope") and it will return a range of images of varying quality from websites that should match it. The results aren't always what you're looking for but it is still a smart way to find images. The more specific you are, the better.
Fun
Throw Rocks at Boys
www.davidandgoliathtees.com/new/games/throwrocks.html
Hey, girls - if you've just broken up with the boyfriend you've been with since high school it's time to deal with the anger in an M-rated way. You have to hit 10 boys in 60 seconds with 40 rocks to make it to the next level. It may be violent but it beats eating too much chocolate.
© 2004 Sydney Morning Herald