Site of the Week -- Jan. 18, 1999
ill Robinson wishes he had it so good. Instead of just one robot, the Robots Web site has nearly a hundred bots intent on taking over the world, or at least the local toy store. Conky is a small plastic wind-up robot that rose to fame in the 1980s with Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Sparky is a spark-shooting metallic wonder from 1950s-era Japan. Electric Robot and Son comes with a proud father and a baby robot in diapers.
But don't go looking for R2-D2 or any of his modern pals on this site. The nearly 100 inhabitants of Robots follow the classic design standard that dictates that bulky is good, but clunky is better. The site's monthly reviews include a brief description of a featured bot, as well as pictures and, if available, related Web links. While the robots on the site might not be as snazzy-looking as their latter-day counterparts, they've got a nostalgic feel that makes Robots worth a visit.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Jan. 11, 1999
here's something odd about the town of Billingdon. There's a "long man" carved into the side of a hill, a couple of guys are pirating satellite television from around the world, and Ken is running about in a Viking helm, muttering prophetic warnings. The Giant Steps Web site chronicles these and other fictional oddities as it follows in the footsteps of the British radio classic The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The site is made up of Real Audio episodes that tell the story of entrepreneurs Gary and Tim as they make bootleg satellite TV videotapes. Meanwhile the space station Zeus suffers a mishap, and its owners determine the cause originated in the boys' hometown. From there, things get weirder. Augmenting the site's audio clips are image maps that provide highlights and memorable quotes from the episodes. This site's a great stop for fans of British science fiction, as well as anyone else looking for a good laugh.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Jan. 4, 1999
hese are the voyages of the Starship Alliance. Its ongoing mission is to explore strange new worlds, seek out alien civilizations, and provide a night of fun for its crew members. This Excelsior class vessel is one of dozens of virtual Star Trek starships operated by members of the Federation Sim Group. The group organizes online role-playing and simulation sessions that let members serve as crew members, officers or even captains aboard ships like the Alliance. Games are played live using chats, in turns using e-mail, or by using a combination of the two.
The Federation Sim Group explores universes outside of the Star Trek domain as well--it has sessions for Men in Black and seaQuest DSV. For Star Trek simulations, the group acts as an online starbase, providing write-ups about starships, an academy for new recruits learning how to play, and a library of sim and Federation information. While the site could use a FAQ list, all in all it's a good starting point for those who are interested in simming.
-- Kenneth Newquist
