以下排名分别为top 100 web sites和top 100 [undiscovered] web sites两大类
top 100 web sites (october 2002)
business and finance
bloomberg.com
new york mayor michael bloomberg may no longer be the chief of the company bearing his name, but bloomberg.com remains one of the most comprehensive personal finance sites on the web. the site offers in-depth news, free quote lookups, educational investment information, and domestic and international market snapshots.
citibank online
citibank online offers the best of both worlds in full-service banking: an online banking site supported by a stable brick-and-mortar operation. security concerns earlier this year have been resolved, allowing citibank to continue to offer a centralized home for savings and checking accounts, online bill paying, online trading, and mortgage and credit card information.
digital daily
a must-have favorites item for accountants and tax attorneys, digital daily is the united states internal revenue services’ portal to the latest tax code information. users can download federal tax forms, calculate proper income tax withholding, and get fascinating statistics about how uncle sam used the money you paid him last year. (did you know the department of the treasury gave back close to $253 billion in refunds last year?)
hoover’s online
hoover’s online offers free financial information, recent news, and industry information for virtually every private and public company in the world. for a subscription fee, depending on the amount of additional information you want, users can access more in-depth company profiles and information on competitors in the same industry.
motley fool
don’t let their silly hats fool you. the editors of motley fool are hardly ones to take money matters lightly. this site allows even the most inexperienced investor to become master of his or her own financial domain. check out the 60-second guides to managing your credit, refinancing your mortgage, and opening an ira.
quicken.com
quicken.com is an invaluable companion to users of intuit’s quicken personal finance management software. the site offers bill payment, calculators, stock market snapshots, tax and loan information, and patches and updates to all versions of the software.
thestreet.com
thestreet.com provides unabashed commentary and news for the serious investor. though founder jim cramer had made headlines with his own questionable stock promotions, the site’s many other opinionated columnists give its users exclusive insight, much of which is now free, into the many dealings of wall street denizens.
travel
expedia
expedia lets you easily book your travel plans—flights, hotels, and rental car reservations—all in one place. after the itinerary is set, peruse the site’s tours, tickets, and trip extras feature to add the lei greeting, surfing lessons, and poi festival you’ve had your heart set on.
fodors
ditch the travel guide book and spend some time at fodors.com before a trip, instead. research restaurants, sights, and entertainment—even make reservations. print out what you’re interested in, and don’t forget the maps—always helpful in unfamiliar territory.
lonely planet
for the restless soul, the self-discovering student backpacker, and the otherwise loose of foot, there’s lonely planet. it provides clear answers to questions about destinations, safety, and logistics. and for the indecisive, there are theme guides, which offer travel suggestions based on your interests.
orbitz
dedicated to saving travelers money, orbitz gathers deals on airfares, hotels, cruises, and vacation packages, and offers some deals of its own. make purchases on the site and you earn orbitz rewards points that are good for perks like free airport parking.
travelocity
if it offered nothing more than travel deals and packages along with online booking, travelocity would be just another travel site. but the handy information you’ll find about your destination can be invaluable, like which side of the street to drive on and, should you get that wrong, the locations of doctors, dentists, lawyers, and drugstores.
shopping
alibris
if you’ve ever been frustrated searching for a favorite book, alibris should be your top bookmark. the site sorts your search results by publication date, general condition, and price. and be sure to check out the articles on collecting first editions or the gastronomic allure of cookbooks.
amazon.com
today’s amazon.com is more than a vast virtual bookstore. it has become a mega-mall where you can buy a car, shop for baby clothes, sell used equipment, or even find local movie schedules. you’ll also find cd and video listings augmented by online reviews, sound clips, and customer feedback (of uneven quality).
cooking.com
whether you’re in the market for a pasta machine or a beer mug, this site, with its extensive cookware selection, will deliver. it’s perfect for a wedding registry and for generating gift ideas. it even breaks the wares down into price ranges to simplify setting spending limits.
dell
michael dell invented the direct marketing of pcs and was one of the first to harness the web as a selling tool. configuring the product you want still takes too long at times—the site forces you to choose whether you’re a small business, a health-care professional, or whatever, and selects systems and configurations for you—but you can ultimately get the computer you want. if you already know exactly what you want, go to the computer finder.
ebay
where else do masses of people from almost everywhere auction everything from a favorite record to a signed picasso etching? sure, there’s an element of risk—but it’s amazing that the searches, bidding procedures, and buyer protection all work as well as they do.
epinions
looking for a product or service of just about any kind? you’ll probably find it here. the site will track down that little rascals christmas special that none of the local video stores carry and nobody else seems to remember. you’ll also find autos, electronics, books, toys, travel deals, and more, and many have ratings and reviews from other consumers.
netflix
does a video store with 16,000 titles, home delivery, and no late fees sound to good to be true? not anymore. with netflix (and $20 per month), your favorite dvds are a just a click away. as soon as you’re done with one, drop it in the mailbox and you can receive another within days.
overstock.com
bargain-hunters will think they’ve found a utopia. brand-name computers, jewelry, clothes, sports gear, and much more are all discounted to clearance prices. and shipping will cost you only $2.95 for your biggest orders. so go spend—er—save some money.
paypal
paypal is a secure service for sending payments from your bank account or charge card to almost any e-mail address—and personal use is free. the service, recently purchased by paypal, includes an auctionfinder feature that lets winning bidders complete most ebay transactions in just a few steps.
ticketmaster.com
concerts, sports, arts, theater—if there’s an event happening, odds are that ticketmaster has tickets. you can search by event type, location, or specific event. it’s convenient and fast but not without a price. in other words, don’t forget about the facility charges, convenience charges, and order-processing fees.
search, reference, and portals
about
about.com still believes in the abilities of human beings. the site offers information on hundreds of topics, from home repair to mixing cocktails. each topic is organized by a real person, who hand-picks all of the information and links that appear in the subject area. the site may not offer exhaustive research, but it is a great place to start when you’re looking for a quick, easy-to-digest overview.
all music guide
take an in-depth look at your favorite musician’s profile, or check out the related artists section to discover a new artist similar to the ones you already love. although coverage of past generations of singers can be spotty, the variety of categories and a vast database of artists to dig through makes browsing this site a good way to spend a groovy afternoon.
britannica.com
there are few types of web content that consumers will actually pay for beyond pornography and britannica articles. ever since encyclopedia britannica was first published more than 200 years ago, people have been groaning about the expense—and bulk—of all those volumes. now, for just $9.95 per month or $59.95 per year, you can have complete access, through your browser, to the world’s most respected encyclopedia.
dictionary.com
some people go there just for the novelty of it. they’ve never seen a web site that isn’t playing a major part in the gradual destruction of the english language. dictionary.com offers not only a free online english dictionary but a thesaurus; various grammar, punctuation, and style guides; and a word of the day service that sends a daily definition to your e-mail in-box. if you’re the type of person who enjoys the web’s usual pleasures, don’t worry. english may be taken seriously at dictionary.com, but you can still buy related merchandise with your credit card and blissfully gaze at banner ads.
do-it-yourself network
weekend warriors rejoice! the do-it-yourself network’s web site is an invaluable resource for tips on renovations or projects around the house. whether it’s remodeling your bathroom or replacing a car engine, there are step-by-step instructions available on the site.
encarta
transcending the utility of those dusty encyclopedia volumes on the bookshelf, encarta.com is a complete reference library. with everything from parenting tips and financial advice to homework help, this microsoft site provides answers. in case the atlas, dictionary, and encyclopedia aren’t enough, there is an extensive list of site referrals to satisfy almost any query.
back when everyone’s default search engine was altavista, google had a different idea: rank sites’ relevance by the number of links pointing to them. its uncanny ability to find what you were looking for made it number one, and it keeps getting better, with 2.5 billion web pages under its belt. google’s image search and usenet portals are indispensable, and its web directory/taxonomy is as good as yahoo!’s.
howstuffworks.com
you’ve got a question? this site has an answer. with 15 general categories from science and technology to toys and games, this knowledgeable site will explain how stuff works for the avidly curious. impress your friends at the next party by explaining teleportation. still think star trek is far-fetched?
internet archive
what is a country without the memory of its errors and accomplishments? internet archive’s goal is to provide that memory for the digital age. it’s basically a repository of internet sites…and cultural objects in digital form. part of its mission is to store paper archives converted into digital format. it also strives to improve our means of reliably storing information for posterity.
the math forum: ask dr. math
most of the time, kids ask their parents for help with math homework. but for those instances when their parents are occupied (or thinly disguising cluelessness) jennie and johnny can turn to dr. math. run by drexel university, the site accepts math questions involving everything from basic addition to integral calculus. dr. math receives over 300 questions a day, so there’s no guarantee of an answer, but there’s also a searchable archive of previously answered questions—or someone else’s parents.
nasa human spaceflight
what experiment is currently going on at the international space station? when is the next scheduled space shuttle flight? where do astronauts in space get water? nasa’s comprehensive site is a fantastic source for those fascinated with human space exploration, its history, and beyond.
techencyclopedia
cmp’s technology definition site contains over 20,000 clear, concise, terms and definitions. it can help you tell the difference between crm (customer relationship management) and cpus (central processing units) or between drda (distributed relational database architecture) and sdram (synchronous dram).
webmd
from canker sores to cancer, webmd is an informative, reliable, and convenient resource, with answers to all sorts of health questions. you can read about common and rare conditions, chat about them with others online, learn which treatments and drugs to ask your doctor about, and much more. we might not recommend this md as your brain surgeon, but the site is a good resource.
webopedia
an extremely helpful online dictionary for computer and internet technology terms, webopedia is a lifesaver for computer geeks. after all, who wants to admit not knowing the difference between 802.11b and 802.11g? the site also offers links to related topics, which often prove very helpful for further explanation.
yahoo!
it’s a web directory, a home page, a portal, an e-mail system, a news service, and a manager for your photos, appointments, contacts, and bill payment. yahoo! invented the idea of a taxonomy of web sites, but it has grown and branched continually, and it offers online stores, auctions, maps, and much more. if you haven’t seen it lately, check it out.
online applications
backupmystuff.com
implementing and maintaining a backup scheme for your crucial data can be a full-time job. just setting up the hardware and software and doing reliability testing is enough to start you looking for a better way. fortunately, backupmystuff.com does it all for you. it can even accommodate clients with slow internet access. oh, and let us not forget its best features: backups are kept off-site, sessions are secured and encrypted, and only you have the right to access your data.
evite
this is the easiest way we’ve ever thrown a party. select a background or theme, type a short message, and send your invitations. what’s more, evite alerts you when someone replies, and your guests can see who else is coming before they respond. cool.
quickbase
quickbase is a shared, web-based database that’s easy to set up, simple to use, and affordable for workgroups or teams. it offers all the ease of use you’d expect from intuit, plus secure, distributed data. use prebuilt templates or roll your own. the site includes multiple views, reporting, access control, and more. the free trial will convince you.
the official u.s. time
save your call to 411 and check out this site instead. here, you can find the exact time (give or take 0.3 seconds) provided by the national institute of standards and technology and the u.s. naval observatory. the site also shows you where the sun is shining and offers links to other time-related sites as well as a file download that synchronizes your pc’s clock to the time on the site.
yahoo mail
you may have given up on yahoo!’s search, but the site’s e-mail service remains one of the best. even a free account is packed with features—a calendar that you can sink with outlook, a filter that forwards incoming mail to mobile devices, the ability to check other pop e-mail accounts, and more. premium options include pop access to your yahoo! account from an e-mail client and personalized e-mail domains.
news and information
the atlantic online
the atlantic monthly has captivated readers since 1857 with its well-written fiction, poetry, and political and social commentary. today, the magazine and its accompanying web site are just as vital. the online version offers many of the print articles as well as extra content and forums where readers can discuss articles.
cnn
cnn.com doesn’t just give you the main headlines, it gives you a varied multimedia news experience. the site has video clips, audio streams, and news on a wide variety of topics, not just terse bullet points pulled from its daily coverage.
espn
you want information on sports? espn.com is likely to have it. the site features breaking news, scores, schedules, columns, and much, much more. exclusive insider content is available for a fee once the 30-day free trial membership is over ($39.95 for 12 months or $4.95 a month). and those who find sports more of an obsession than a hobby can sign up (and pay) to play in the fantasy games series. members essentially build their own franchises and become their teams’ managers, owners, and presidents all in one. prizes are awarded for top finishers.
food network
the companion site to the 24-hour cable television network houses information from all its shows—emeril live, food nation with bobby flay, and iron chef, to name just a few. you can search over 23,000 recipes and even get help planning a menu or party. pork spare ribs with southwestern barbecue sauce sound good for dinner? bam! emeril’s got the recipe for you.
google groups
if you loved the venerable dejanews usenet reader site, then you’ll love what google has done here. why? because google groups is the former dejanews (and deja) engine and usenet archives. all the discussions (going back 20 years) are there, plus thousands of new ones in easy-to-find categories. a search on horticulture returned over 32,000 posts. just imagine what you’ll find.
internet movie database
this site remains the ultimate source for movie and movie star information. the design has changed little over the years, and that’s a good thing. it’s incredibly easy to find out, let’s say, every movie kevin bacon has appeared in and, for all you six degrees players, all of his costars in each one. you can also comment on individual movies or actors and even create your own movie collection with imdb’s mymovies feature.
national review online
if you’re looking for political news and commentary that’s witty without being dumbed down, this is the place. here you’ll find such regulars as william f. buckley, jr., telling it exactly as he sees it.
the new york times
we know that browsing through the site isn’t quite the same as lounging at the breakfast table with your coffee and bagel, but the new york times online is perfect for those who need news and other resources throughout the day. and membership is free, so you can buy bagels for the whole office.
opinion journal
if you’re interested in the daily opinions of the wall street journal but don’t want to pay for its web site, you’re in luck. the newspaper also offers the free opinion journal, probably the best source of daily opinions from a conservative point of view. the site includes the lead editorials from the journal, as well as regular columns from robert bartley, john fund, daniel henninger, and peggy noonan, among others. the site also lets you post and read responses. though it’s focused on politics, it also includes a taste page that looks at cultural issues. most of the content comes from the print publication, but one unique feature is james taranto’s daily best of the web column, a thought-provoking and often scathing look at other web sites.
pbs online
pbs’s site goes way beyond sesame street and ken burns’s the civil war. you can search the extensive archives by keyword, link to npr, and browse vegetarian recipes from around the world. kids with flash-equipped pcs can play interactive games, and adults, of course, can shop. with a site this rich in content, who needs tv?
scientific american
at pc magazine, we respect sites that can take complicated subjects and explain them in straightforward, easy-to-understand prose. we’re big fans of is elvis dead or alive and, most notably, scientific american. at www.sciam.com, you get articles from the print version of scientific american—though you may have to pay for some—as well as previews of upcoming issues, additional feature stories, daily news articles from the science world, and scientific trivia. if elvis is alive, he’s surely a frequent visitor.
slate
a few years ago, online magazines were all the rage. many have passed into the dot-com sunset, but slate remains strong. the pioneering web magazine, backed by microsoft, has weathered a change in editors and come through in style. columnists such as founder michael kinsley, mickey kaus, timothy noah, and jacob weisberg give slate an intelligent and diverse (though generally liberal) set of viewpoints on politics. other departments take an in-depth view of culture, books, film, and business. departments such as today’s papers and in other magazines do a nice job of summarizing and analyzing other media. you can view the content on the site, have features automatically e-mailed to you, download the last seven days of content as an e-book in microsoft reader format, or offload html versions directly to pocket pc or palm devices.
space.com
this site includes space and space-flight news, products (including rare items, collectibles, space vehicle models, and books for kids and adults), movies, technology and even high-tech gear. if you’re a space junkie, you’ll want to add this site to your favorites list.
the wall street journal
want to read walter mossberg for free? you can’t. but you can read his column and the rest of the wall street journal from your web browser for only $79 a year ($39 if you’re already a subscriber to the print version). this stark, buttoned-down site can be personalized according to your wants and needs, and it offers several interactive services that you’ll never get from a newspaper, including a popular question of the day discussion group and real-time stock quotes. just think: you can follow the demise of the world economy straight from your home pc.
lifestyle and entertainment
ain’t it cool
taking a lead from matt drudge, his former employer, harry knowles, runs a site that consistently scoops the mainstream news media, collecting down-and-dirty news from friends in low places. unlike drudge, who focuses on the political world, knowles deals with only the most serious of issues—things like what’s up with tarantino’s next film? his site does nothing but feed our insatiable appetite for low-brow pop culture. of course it’s cool.
blogger
personal web pages? they’re so last-week. everyone’s made the switch to blogs—frequently updated sites that amount to online diaries. naturally, you want to do what everyone else is doing, so go, as quickly as you can, to blogger, where you can build and post your own blog (short for web log) for free. in no time, every computer owner on earth will be able to track your private thoughts and daily activities.
citysearch
some have called it the yellow pages of the new millennium, but citysearch is actually much, much more. this interactive portal provides thousands of listings and reviews for everything from sporting events to restaurants, and its city-specific directories set it apart from other travel and leisure sites.
classmates
everyone sees the pop-up banners for this site. you would be surprised at just how many of your former schoolmates actually use it. we were surprised to hear from a person we hadn’t seen in 23 years. a gold membership allows you to create an extended profile and communicate directly with former classmates.
despair inc.
apathy. procrastination. bitterness. these are just some of the anti-affirmations you’ll find sprawled across notepads, calendars, hats, and posters at despair.com. this company has tapped into the defeatist in every one of us who has ever been frustrated at work, and given us all something to laugh about.
e! online
you like to surf it, don’t you? tawdry tales and fame’s fashion faux pas litter the e! online web site like confetti after new year’s. anything you ever wanted to know (and some things you were better off never reading) about the famous and notorious is e! online’s singular domain. but about that anna nicole show...
epicurious food
this is a glorious site about food brought to you by the folks who produce bon appétit and gourmet. it’s chock-full of information. there’s everything from a food dictionary to forums to reviews of restaurants around the world and recipes from the eateries. there’s even an etiquette guide and a shopping area for perusing specialty boutiques.
ifilm
tired of hollywood’s multimillion-dollar blockbusters? check out ifilm.com to see what’s happening in the movie underground. the site offers thousands of streaming movies in most genres: everything from animation to erotica. most of the films are the movie equivalent of garage music, so don’t expect outstanding effects and perfect lighting. instead, you’ll find creativity and risks.
modern humorist
if noel coward and andrew dice clay had a baby it would look exactly like modern humorist. from the notorious punchie and pikachu video to the hilarious take on encyclopedia brown (encyclopedia brown and the case of the supreme court showdown, anyone?), modern humorist goes from high-brow to low-brow humor in the click of a mouse. you will never look at stuffed animals the same way again.
national geographic society
here is a beautifully designed multimedia complement to the magazine that so adeptly combines science and cultural history. if the subject listings don’t immediately grab you, the brilliant photography will, video footage and all. don’t expect the full magazine text, but you can find discussion forums and an online store.
the onion
they put the smart back in smart ass. the onion takes both current events and the irrelevant incidents of everyday life and smacks them upside the head. irreverent, deadpan witty, and often caustic, it unerringly hits the funny bone of a jaded generation.
petswelcome.com
when some of us plan a family vacation, we mean the whole family—and that includes our beloved miniature pinscher jett. but finding a decent hotel that accepts dogs can be a pain in the paw. not anymore. at petswelcome.com you’ll find listings for over 25,000 hotels, b&bs, ski resorts, campgrounds, and beaches that are pet-friendly. a new category, traveler’s choice, provides a list of lodgings that the site’s visitors have nominated for a pet-friendly seal of approval.
pogo
brought to you by electronic arts, this site is games, games, and more games, and you can play all of them for free. you can also earn tokens for prizes when you play some of them (highland golf, it’s outta here 2, spooky slots, ssx snowdreams, sweet tooth, and triviatron ii, to name a few) and even win cash. that’s all well and good, but the best part of pogo is the game play. whether you like action like ssx snow dreams or something quiet—yet no less intense—like chess, there are games going on all the time and players from around the world waiting for you to compete against them and sometimes engage in a little friendly chat.
sodaconstructor
think of it as a form of doodling, only better. sodaconstructor is a java application that lets you create wireframe creatures and turn them into animated figures. you can have them move forward or back and even watch them struggle against the forces of gravity.
star wars
the star wars movie series has spawned countless sites—both serious and parodies—but the ultimate source for all things star wars is still this one. as always, it has the most detailed (if, of course, one-sided) info on the latest movies—currently attack of the clones. the site’s official status also affords it the best access to the directors of all of the films (including george lucas) as well as the movies’ producers, craftsmen, and other involved parties who can give you the greatest insight into all five of the films. the site is also the best place to find the earliest news on the next and final film in the series, episode iii. the kids will also enjoy the starwarskids section, where they can play games and even learn about how the films were made.
zagat.com
no one pronounces it correctly, but everyone goes there for restaurant reviews. zagat (stress on the second syllable, rhymes with cat) is the web incarnation of the popular series of restaurant guidebooks first published by new yorkers tim and tina zagat. based on surveys completed by the public at large, the site’s reviews now cover restaurants in dozens of american cities as well as tokyo, london, and vancouver (stress on the second syllable, rhymes with hoover).
kids
discovery kids
if you’re looking for a safe, entertaining, and educational web site for kids, this may be your first stop. children will find creepy crafts like pulverized pest paper and shrunken heads (using apples, of course). there are also areas devoted to kids’ favorites like dinosaurs, space, and technology. this well-designed, easy-to-navigate site should provide hours and hours of kid-friendly fun and learning.
disney
yes this site is essentially another vehicle for selling all things disney, but nestled among all the marketing and commerce are special-theme sites like the halloween fright site and loads of games (learn how to make cream of feet in the evil queen’s cauldron puzzle) and activities for kids.
funbrain.com
not only is funbrain.com a great place for kids to learn and play games, but it’s also an excellent resource for parents and teachers. parents can find information about where their children should be education-wise, and teachers can download quizzes and other materials to use in the classroom.
looney tunes
it’s 9:00 on saturday morning. the credits are rolling at the end of the bugs bunny/road runner hour. but that’s not all, folks. you can continue laughing at the antics of bugs and the gang on the official looney tunes home page. part of warnerbrothers.com, this colorful site offers games, screen savers, merchandise, interactive stories, and—wouldn’t you know it?—cartoons involving everyone from the tasmanian devil to marvin the martian.
pbs kids
this beautifully designed site is eminently clickable, and your children are bound to get lost in nifty features like the interactive mister rogers’ neighborhood (hop on the trolley and hear king friday say hello). there are other areas, of course, each devoted to one of pbs’s popular children’s shows, including arthur (with a nifty virtual-goose matching game for young children) and zoom, which includes all the amazing scientific interactions shown on tv each week (like pulling an ice cube out of a cup full of water using nothing but a string).
free stuff
freeze.com
freeze.com is a cool site for freebies. beyond its freebie of the day, it offers endless games, screen savers, and clip art. freeze.com also offers links to other freebie, discount, and informational sites.
jumbo!
just in case regular solitaire wasn’t enough to kill your boredom, jumbo! offers a suite of 12 solitaire games, along with oodles of other freeware, shareware, and software. from fonts to utilities to chat and desktop publishing software, jumbo!’s downloads provide nearly everything you could want from this type of web site.
food and drink
allrecipes.com
impress your friends, family, and even coworkers by whipping up dishes from any of the thousands of recipes listed on this site. (there are 91 recipes for apple pie alone!) each recipe is rated, and many include user reviews as well. the site will even help you create a complete ingredient shopping list from recipes you’ve collected.
cooking light
this web site is all about healthful eating. there’s a searchable recipe database as well as help for planning menus and entertaining. like the print magazine, this companion site offers articles on healthy living, including informative essays on nutrition and fitness. and check out the bulletin boards for info on food events, starting a supper club, and much more.
kalustyans
one of pc magazine staffers’ favorites (the store is around the corner from our offices), kalustyans offers an entourage of beans, flours, grains, lentils, and more. with hardly any pictures on the site, however, you have to know your foreign food: we found 29 different kinds of olives--and almost as many kinds of papadams.
recipesource
thank goodness, they finally dropped the cheeky acronym. now known as recipesource—and not soar: the searchable online archive of recipes—this no-frills site offers what could be the most comprehensive collection of recipes on the web. it also gives you endless dinner ideas without offending your taste in word play. you’ll find hundreds of recipes representing every legitimate cuisine on the planet—and a few british recipes, too.
wine.com
with over 5,000 bottles of wine from 15 different countries you’re bound to find the perfect gift for your favorite wine connoisseur. you can search by brand, vintage, vineyard, rating, price, and more. the site lets you review winemakers’ notes, learn which wines to serve with a meal, and join wine clubs.
computing
annoyances.org
with discussions and tips on subjects from what to do if you hate the start menu to top five reasons why windows doesn’t support your hardware, you’re bound to find the solution to your microsoft or windows annoyance. the best part is, once you’ve browsed through the site for awhile, you’ll feel lucky about all the problems you don’t have.
broadband reports.com (formerly dsl reports)
once merely a site for broadband aficionados, broadband reports.com has grown into a community of connected souls. the site’s bread and butter remains its links to broadband (both cable modem and dsl) tools and reviews. in the forum sections you’ll find such über-geek topics as anime, online gaming, and audio-visual issues.
devx
devx is a nirvana for corporate it developers. you get up-to-date information on software development tools, techniques, and an extensive library of technical articles and source code files. devx also reviews development tools and runs lively, informative discussion forums. from mainframe to mobile apps, devx has it covered.
driverguide.com
if you’ve ever tried to download the latest drivers for any of your peripherals directly from vendor support sites, then you’ll appreciate this all-in-one compendium of over 70,000 drivers for products ranging from printers to bioss to removable media drives. membership is required, but it’s free to join.
the easter egg archive
easter eggs are not just for computer applications. you can find hidden goodies in everything from applications to dvds to your favorite tv shows and movies. but how do you know where to look? check out the easter egg archive. this very entertaining (albeit somewhat unattractive) site features over 6,000 easter eggs, with new ones added every day.
earthweb
all the it stuff you could ever need or want. the site includes everything from industry news to tutorials to buyer’s guides and products reviews. oh, and it archives it-related publications, discussion forums, software downloads, and expert advice.
extremetech
if you run your pcs with the hoods off, overclock your cpus, know how to take apart a flat-panel lcd, and feel a rush of excitement when you hear about strained silicon, then extremetech’s brand of extreme technology articles and engaging deep techy discussions is for you.
gibson research co.
security and privacy exploits! hackers! cool, free utilities! strong opinions! hype! exclamation points! steve gibson takes a high-profile stance on privacy and security and backs it up with excellent utilities and information. this site is your first line of defense in keeping your system hacker-free. gibson also sells a highly regarded disk repair utility.
hoaxbusters
whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably been the recipient of hoax e-mail. you know those messages about free money, the chain letters that promise bad luck if you don’t pass them along, or urban myths disguised as warnings for women. with all this stuff floating around the internet, it’s enough to scare ya silly. that’s where hoaxbusters comes in. the site debunks all kinds of bogus information. it tells you how to recognize hoaxes and chain letters and what you should do about them, and it provides listings and details about the nonsense it’s discovered.
mcafee
viruses, worms, and trojan horses got you down? no worries—mcafee will help save the day. a fluid, tabbed interface provides users with quick access to mcafee products. the site also has an informative virus information dashboard. virus hotspots around the globe are tracked up-to-the╟minute, and a computer check can scan your system for known vulnerabilities.
pc magazine
pc magazine’s web site features product reviews, solutions, tips, utilities, and more that you won’t find in the print edition--or anywhere else, for that matter. if you love technology products, you need to visit this site every day.
safari tech books online
for excellent online computer manuals, this is the place to go. depending on how big you’d like your library to be, a safari subscription can cost anywhere from $9.99 to $499.99 per month. but you can take a thorough look at each book before you check it out, or skip the subscription altogether and just buy the print version.
slashdot
if you think this web site community is only for linux heads, you’re wrong. there are postings relating to breaking technology-news stories that run the gamut from digital cameras to book reviews to hacking and more.
webmonkey
webmonkey is the rarest of species: a technology site with a sense of humor. this being the definitive point of reference for web developers—a site that offers tutorials on everything from basic html coding to setting up an apache server—you’d expect the wittiest turn of phrase to be something along the lines of using the expat functions available to php, you can parse xml documents via the sax method. but somehow webmonkey has found a group of editors and writers who realize that computer technology is important enough to be taken lightly.
yahoo! groups
if you’re not in a yahoo! group, you’ve been missing out. this free service enables families, coworkers, committees—you name it—to communicate with one another. members can post messages, offer their bios, and include photos for other group members to view
careers
monster
amid a flurry of layoffs and downsizing, monster continues to bolster its relevance in today’s job market. not only does the site offer job hunters access to millions of job postings from around the world, monster offers a networking community, access to distance learning, and relocation information should you find a job in a different area.
top 100 [undiscovered] web sites
business and finance
www.bigstep.com
get your business online, cheap and easy.
bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com
if michael bloomberg can afford to buy nyc, he must be doing something right.
charles schwab
www.schwab.com
trading with top-drawer research.
citibank online
www.citibankonline.com
online banking done right.
cnbc on msn money
moneycentral.msn.com
trust us, these microsoft folks know money.
datek online
www.datek.com
cheap transactions for the remaining day traders.
the digital daily
www.irs.gov
the irs online—less painful than it sounds.
dow jones interactive
www.djinteractive.com
the $69 subscription includes the wall street journal online.
hoover’s online
www.hooversonline.com
the place for financial research.
the motley fool
www.fool.com
contrarian investment advice.
oracle small business suite
www.oraclesmallbusiness.com
accounting, sales-force automation, and more (formerly netledger).
quicken.com
www.quicken.com
top-flight personal finance.
salesforce.com
www.salesforce.com
powerful tools for sales and marketing.
smartmoney.com
www.smartmoney.com
where smart money checks in for analysis and news.
thestreet.com
www.thestreet.com
irreverent reporting from wall street.
computing
earthweb
www.earthweb.com
it literature galore.
elite.com
www.elite.com
project management, time tracking, and billing.
eroom.net
www.eroom.net
potent collaboration tools.
expertcity.com
www.expertcity.com
remote-control tech support and remote access.
extremetech
www.extremetech.com
pc magazine’s sister site pushes the nerd envelope.
gibson research co.
www.grc.com
great tools for keeping your pc private and secure.
homestead
www.homestead.com
simple, slick online site creation.
hotmail
www.hotmail.com
access your mail—and spam—anywhere.
palmgear.com
www.palmgear.com
thousands of downloadable palm apps.
pc magazine
www.pcmag.com
humbly submitted for your approval.
register.com
www.register.com
domain names! get your domain names!
slashdot
slashdot.org
news, discussion, and flame wars for geeks.
trend micro
www.antivirus.com
the facts on viruses plus a free online scanner.
vindigo
www.vindigo.com
let your handheld take you to dinner and a movie.
webex
www.webex.com
have your meetings online.
webmonkey
www.webmonkey.com
vocational school for web designers.
yahoo! groups
groups.yahoo.com
the free discussion-group service we used to hash out this list.
careers
dice.com
www.dice.com
it jobs—get ’em while they last.
guru.com
www.guru.com
find work—or workers—here.
hotjobs.com
www.hotjobs.com
employment opportunities and strong privacy features.
monster.com
www.monster.com
the grand master of employment sites.
search, reference, and portals
about.com
www.about.com
the internet for the people, by the people.
aol
www.aol.com
the most popular beginners’ service; learn it and move on.
bbc online
www.bbc.com
we love the beeb—especially world service news.
britannica.com
www.britannica.com
subscribe to the mother of all encyclopedias.
encarta
encarta.msn.com
microsoft—owns all, knows all.
fedstats
www.fedstats.gov
stats from over 100 u.s. federal agencies.
google
www.google.com
can anyone dethrone the king of search?
howstuffworks.com
www.howstuffworks.com
the name really says it all.
ivillage.com
www.ivillage.com
rich portal for women.
the library of congress
www.loc.gov
amazing amounts of information about america and americana.
medscape health for consumers
www.medscape.com
in sickness and in health, good content.
msn
www.msn.com
seeks to dethrone aol as the learn it and move on king.
nolo.com
www.nolo.com
second-guess your public defender: free legal advice.
northern light
www.northernlight.com
search the web and a vast special collection.
techencyclopedia
www.techencyclopedia.com
where your it staff goes for answers.
technology review
www.techreview.com
this mit organ showcases cool new technology.
the u.s. house of representatives
www.house.gov
do you know who your rep is?
the u.s. senate
www.senate.gov
okay, smart guy, who are your senators?
webmd
www.webmd.com
a great medical portal for lay people.
webopedia
www.webopedia.com
your technical-reference center.
the white house
www.whitehouse.gov
w’s home on the web.
yahoo!
www.yahoo.com
you name it, it’s in there!
shopping
amazon.com
www.amazon.com
the best place to read about and buy books nearly anything.
andale
www.andale.com
tools to turbocharge your auction listings.
carsdirect.com
www.carsdirect.com
everything but the test drive.
cooking.com
www.cooking.com
shopping for chefs.
dealtime.com
www.dealtime.com
great prices from a huge network of stores.
dell
www.dell.com
this is how all computers should be sold online.
ebay
www.ebay.com
buy or sell just about everything (kidneys now banned).
epinions
www.epinions.com
peer pressure helps you make buying decisions.
ethnicgrocer.com
www.ethnicgrocer.com
when wonder bread and skippy get old.
lands’ end
www.landsend.com
the right way to take a retailer online.
paypal
www.paypal.com
look, ma, no credit card!
travel
arthur frommer’s budgettravel online
www.frommers.com
get there—and stay there—for less.
expedia
www.expedia.com
buy tickets—and check out the great tools, too.
fodors
www.fodors.com
learn what to do when you get there.
iexplore
www.iexplore.com
travel, with a national geographic spin.
lonely planet
www.lonelyplanet.com
advice for the youth hostel set.
orbitz
www.orbitz.com
proof that cartels kick ass.
smarter living
www.smarterliving.com
amazing deals help you travel smart.
travelocity
www.travelocity.com
check out the recommendations engine.
news and entertainment
avantgo mobile internet service
www.avantgo.com
tons of great reading for your pda.
cnn
www.cnn.com
current news—without that nypd blue actress.
e! online
www.eonline.com
all the news about all the beautiful people.
espn
www.espn.com
they shoot, they score!
internet movie database
www.imdb.com
exercise your brain cells as you build up cellulite watching celluloid.
mightybig tv
www.mightybigtv.com
small-screen spoilers, recaps, and gossip.
(ed. note: this site recently changed its name to television without pity and can be found at this url: http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/ )
the new york times
www.nytimes.com
the web site of record.
salon.com
www.salon.com
snarky, smart, and sadly, now subscription-based e-zine.
shutterfly
www.shutterfly.com
your virtual darkroom and printshop.
slate
slate.msn.com
microsoft puts its tentacles into journalism, with impressive results.
television food network
www.foodtv.com
online home of the iron chef, and more.
lifestyle and fun
citysearch
www.citysearch.com
the web is good at being global; here it’s local as well.
discovery kids
kids.discovery.com
from animals to yucky stuff, fun science for kids.
disney
www.disney.com
master marketeers capitalize on the classic cartoons.
ehow
www.ehow.com
from tying shoelaces to telling whether sushi is fresh.
embark
www.embark.com
research schools and loans.
epicurious food
www.epicurious.com
eat, drink, and learn which fork to use first.
ipeds college opportunities on-line
nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool
find, enroll in, and get help paying for school.
national geographic society
www.nationalgeographic.com
even better than the magazine that spawned it.
nick
www.nick.com
spongebob squarepants and other weird kids’ stuff.
smithsonian institution
www.si.edu
your link to a great american resource.
zagat.com
www.zagat.com
restaurant recommendations you can help tune.
zdnet gamespot
www.gamespot.com
research how best to waste your time.
