December 2001

The net isn't quite the repository of the accumulated knowledge of mankind yet—but it's getting there, and Refdesk.com can help you find your way through the stacks of this virtual library. If there's a reference site on a given topic—whether it's phases of the moon, airport codes from around the world, or planning a family reunion—Refdesk.com will show you where it is.

Desktop publishers and web designers alike occasionally need a snazzy photograph or bit of artwork to make their creations distinctive. iStockPhoto provides both high-resolution photos and EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) files, absolutely free of any need to pay royalties for their use. Search by keyword, or browse the categories, and get exactly what you need.

Got the lone Macintosh in an office full of Windows PCs? Or is it the other way round? If you're charged with getting Macs and Windows to co-exist peacefully, you need MacWindows.com. The home page is regularly updated with news of cross-platform problems and solutions. The site also includes product listings, tutorials, tips & tricks, and discussion forums.

Did you get a shiny new monitor for Christmas? Get Nokia Test to help it look its best! Test patterns are provided for brightness, contrast, focus, convergence, and more. The help file included with this freeware gem explains all the adjustments you could ever want to make.

Got more passwords to web sites and email accounts than you know what to do with? Visit PasswordSafe and keep 'em online! Sign up for a free account and enter your username/password combinations, and you can access the list from anywhere on the Internet. There's even a handy desktop application (for Windows and Macintosh) that can access your password list without a web browser.

Section 508 isn't a top-secret lab run by the CIA – at least, I don't think it is. It's a set of Federal rules covering how government web sites have to provide accessibility to disabled users. A Primer for Accessible Web Pages introduces the Section 508 rules and provides guidance on how any web site can meet these guidelines.

What are the spiritual implications of the technological age we live in? Can the Web transform us for good – or ill? What challenges will we face with the advent of conscious machines? Are You There, God? (It's Me, HAL) takes a look at these and other philosophical issues that arise where science and spirit intersect.

Those of us who've been around PCs for awhile remember DOS with mixed emotions. For some tasks, though, DOS is the best environment in which to work. Free Software For DOS provides reviews and links to over seven hundred carefully selected DOS utilites. Everything from graphics to text to HTML to databases is here for your command line enjoyment.

Ever wonder how many pounds there are in the ancient Roman centumpondus? Convert-Me can tell you. Select a category of measurement (such as weight, distance, volume, or time), enter the value you want converted, and get the value you want. It's just that simple, and it's completely free.

Volunteering is great, but sometimes it's not easy to do on a schedule. Both NetAid and VolunteerMatch maintain databases in which you can find opportunities to do your volunteering online. Alas, now you have no excuse not to get off your digital butt and help those in need.

Still using Windows 95? DrD's #Windows95 Page is chock-full of the information you need: boot disks, copies of critical DLL files, help with Direct Cable Connection and partitioning disk drives, and much more. Windows 98 and Windows ME users will find much of interest here, as well.

Such a simple idea – why didn't anyone think of it sooner? ColorCombo shows you any four of the 216 web-safe colors side-by-side, helping you pick the best color scheme for your web site. There's a page to help you check the visibility of color text on a color background, and several other nifty color resources as well.

Where can you go for that Macintosh gem of yesteryear? Check MacTreasures for software and hardware no longer carried on retail shelves. You'll even find an item or two for the late lamented Newton, if you look hard enough.

The Webmaster Heaven section of the larger Smorgasbord site lives up to its name. Free graphics, web page backgrounds, color schemes, a search engine submission page, and more are waiting here for novice and veteran webmasters alike.

Simple, direct, and useful. Charlie's Extended ASCII/HTML Codes shows you the ASCII code for every character, as well as the Windows Alt-key shortcut for producing it. That's all. Isn't that enough?