KSFO's Web Wanderer

The Links for August 21, 1999

All Data - Solinas

I heard this one on the Clark Howard show on KSFO radio.

All Data is a site for car owners to get industry information. There's a database of recalls and "technical service bulletins" online. Every year over 6,000 bulletins are issued by car manufacturers. THey describe known problems and how to fix them. You can view them on this site.

The "do it yourself" car owner can find a wealth of information here. There is a fee for this area, though.

If you're having car trouble, be sure to check out this site for the recalls and service bulletins.

Top Ten Stupidest lists - Richard in Lodi

Richard in Lodi sent this one in.

There's lots of lists on the net - and this site has some of the dumbest ones out there. Stuff like "Ways to make use of your Junkmail!", "Things to do with a burnt out Light bulb!", "Places to find your Remote Control!" I TOLD you they were dumb.

There are currently 44 Lists, and new ones are added bi-weekly.

This isn't a "must bookmark" or a "must see" site, but some will find it entertaining.

Thanks, Richard!

Brewing Techniques - Wine Country Larry

Wine Country Larry found this site.

Brewing Techniques is a magazine in print. This site is the online version.

You can find articles from Brewing Techniques online - the most recent "edition" headlines information on kegging.

One negative - the "Updated Monthly" proudly stated on the site is bogus - here in late August we see it hasn't been updated since May. Ah, well!

The site also has a marketplace and a library. The library has a good amount of information for the home brewer.

Worth a bookmark if you're a home brewer, or just curious about how beer is made.

Thanks, Larry!

Cows on Parade - Kermit

Listener Kermit submitted "Cows on Parade".

Kermit says: "I heard about this site on NPR radio while commuting from work. The site itself is very well done. The content is ... well .... moooving!"

He continues "The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Department of Tourism have brought this idea from Zurich, Switzerland. I personally think it is was a wonderful thing to explore on line, I only wish I could see the whole parade in person!"

Kermit concludes: "It is well worth the hour or so it takes to see everything. Bovine can be beautiful!"

OK, so what is this about? From the FAQ

Q: What's the deal with the cows? A: Cows on Parade is a unique public art exhibition featuring life-size cows transformed into works of art by hundreds of Chicago artists. The cows are on display in public spaces and buildings throughout the city of Chicago.

Q: What are they made of? A: A fiberglass/polyester compound.

Q: How many cows are there? A: Currently there are over 260 on display with plans to have just over 300 total.

Ok, it's pretty wild, but worth a look. Thanks, Kermit!

Alta Vista Text Only Search - Nathan (DoctorWho)

Nathan found a cool little trick for AltaVista. If you've ever got tired of waiting while the graphic from their site loads, this is a quick way to get at the information.

Follow the link above, and you'll get a Text-Only AltaVista search form. It will be text-only from there on out, and it's fully functional.

So - no big pictures, no junk - just the search you need to do and the results - quickly.

Cool stuff, Nathan!

MetaCrawler Text Only Search - Andantino

Andantino liked Nathan's suggestion, and he submitted a similar text only search page my favorite search engine - MetaCrawler.

I bookmarked this one. It is a timesaver!

Thanks, Andantino!

Free For All!

"Free For All" picks are freeware picks. They have to be useful, cool, or interesting. Most of all - they have to be free. This week we're spotlighting graphics applications.

FFE200.ZIP - File Formats Encyclopedia - Wine Country Larry

Wine Country Larry found this useful free software.

"File Formats Encyclopedia" is a reference guide to learn about more than 300 file formats. This encyclopedia covers various graphics files; animation and sound files; and many of the more common text, document, and spreadsheet file formats."

This is a great handy reference for answering the question "what type of file is this" - a frequently asked question on O'Donnell On Computers.

Useful stuff, Larry. Thanks!

Freebie Surfer - Bob the Old Fogey

I like software with skins. I love tweaking the look of WinAmp to suit my mood while I listen to MP3 files. This is similar - for your browser. Freebie Surfer lets you add "skins" to your browser.

Face it - the default look of IE and NS are pretty dang dull. Spice them up. Personally, I like he "Stone Solitude 2" myself.

Fun stuff. Thanks, Bob!

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