Newsletter No. 67
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Free Pint "Helping 30,000 people use the Web for their work" http://www.freepint.co.uk/ ISSN 1460-7239 20th July 2000 No.67 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES from Barrie Minney FREE PINT BAR by Simon Collery TIPS AND TECHNIQUES "Puppetry and Animation Sources on the Web" By Carey McIlvenny BOOKSHELF "Internet Business Intelligence: How to build a big company system on a small company budget" Reviewed by Jan Whittington FEATURE ARTICLE "Web resources for handheld computers" By Ian Tilsed EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES CONTACT INFORMATION ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = JUSTIS - THE CHOICE OF LEGAL PROFESSIONALS JUSTIS makes legal research fast and efficient. JUSTIS is used worldwide by Legal Practitioners, Businesses, Government Departments, Academics, Librarians and other Information Professionals. Visit http://www.justis.com to see how you can benefit > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [co671] >>> ABOUT FREE PINT <<< Free Pint is a community of business professionals who use the Web for their work. Members receive this free newsletter every two weeks packed with tips and articles by information professionals who share how they find quality and reliable information on the Internet. Sign up at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/> for free access to the substantial archive of articles, book reviews, industry news and events, and have your research questions answered at the "Free Pint Bar". This newsletter is best read when printed out and viewed in a courier font. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = EDITORIAL If you're a regular at the Free Pint Bar then you may have spotted the odd mention of some of the projects we're currently working on to enhance our services to members of Free Pint. Some of these projects are now coming to fruition ... The overwhelming response to the Free Pint Index, which was sent out in June, highlighted once again your wish to be able to access Free Pint's large archive of content more easily. To this end, we have been working hard over the last few months building a system which will allow you to do just this: Free Pint Portal http://www.freepint.co.uk/portal This is a brand new part of the site where we have classified all of our content by industry (including all articles, tipples and newsfeeds). We have also incorporated Simon's "Today's Tipples" from the Bar as well as bringing you a range of invaluable link sites for each industry. There is also a "Country" section where you can easily access search engines for a particular region, as well as company information, demographics, etc. We are also currently negotiating with a number of database providers to give you direct access to their offerings and we'll be announcing these as they are integrated over the coming weeks. This is a very exciting project and we are committed to building the most useful guide to business information online for our members. However, like all good projects this is a collaborative one and we do ask for your input, telling us what else you want to see there and informing us of new resources to be added. This project will benefit all members and so please do get involved. We bring you some very topical content in today's issue of Free Pint. Puppetry is again in the public spotlight with the release of the film "Chicken Run" and so we take a look at puppetry and animation sources online. Internet-enabled mobile phones are also being mentioned everywhere and so the Feature article takes a timely look at the resources available for handheld computers. Competitive intelligence has regularly made an appearance over the last few issues of the newsletter, and today we have a review of a book for SME's about building an "Internet Business Intelligence System". The Free Pint Bar at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar> continues to receive much recognition and praise from our members, and so you'll notice we have moved Simon's summary of the latest happenings nearer the top of today's newsletter. Do remember that you can receive a Digest of all the latest postings three times a week by sending a blank email to <digest@freepint.co.uk>. Finally, we're delighted to have just welcomed our 30,000th member. So, I hope you all enjoy today's edition of Free Pint. Kind regards, William William Hann BSc MIInfSc Founder and Managing Editor, Free Pint e: william@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1784 455435 f: +44 (0)1784 455436 Free Pint is a trademark of Free Pint Limited http://www.freepint.co.uk/ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = IS YOUR WEB SITE AS FAST & RELIABLE AS IT SHOULD BE? Statuserve Ltd provide quality SERVER HOSTING inc. 'Critical Hosting Solutions'. They offer a full range of services from easy Low Cost Hosting through to complete, data-critical solutions with extra security and back-up. Plus, Statuserve offer a range of Crucial Apps to enhance any site, such as Virtual Office & Database Management. IT Managers not sure about outsourcing should ask about Data Safe Hosting. email info@statuserve.com or visit www.statuserve.com. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [st672] >>> FREE PINT ADVERTISERS UPDATE <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/advert.htm Every month we send out a brief email with the latest details of advertising rates, special offers, forthcoming articles, etc. To receive this Advertiser's Update, send a blank email to <update@freepint.co.uk> or visit the address above for more details. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES from Barrie Minney * Portal service from The Stationery Office - 'UK focused information, people and services connected to the government and other official bodies'. Much more interesting than it sounds. <http://www.ukstate.com> * UK government sites - A superb directory of all UK government sites (local, central and independent)and more. <http://www.tagish.co.uk> * Ananova - UK based news portal from the press association, even has video bulletins! <http://www.ananova.com> * Moreover.com - Delivers news extracts via e-mail on a variety of subjects from a vast range of sources. <http://www.moreover.com> * Cornwallcam - An escapist site, digital photos of Cornwall, updated every other day. <http://www.cornwallcam.co.uk> Barrie Minney, MCBA MICM, is the senior bailiff for Brighton & Hove council, recovering local taxes and sundry debts. He also runs the In- house bailiff forum for local authorities in England & Wales, and is always on the look out for guest speakers on any interesting subjects! To submit your top five favourite tipples see the guidelines at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/author.htm> or email <simon@freepint.co.uk>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = WHERE DO YOU GO FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & BUSINESS INFORMATION RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS? www.recruitmedia.co.uk. We offer a full and quality service for contract, temporary and permanent opportunities in traditional commercial and new media environments. Call us now at our London office on 020 7608 2552. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [rm673] >>> SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY LINKING TO US <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/linktous.htm If you enjoy Free Pint then please consider adding a small graphic to your site. Simply copy the code from the page above. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT BAR by Simon Collery http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm#bar If there is nothing new under the sun then it must be prudent to ask for advice from others whenever you can. Several Free Pinters have raised questions about good practice, the first with regard to using images found on the Web (4001). Another has asked if anyone has written a formal policy for links to be included on their site (4050). And a third has asked about monitoring access in the education sector (4067). I'm surprised no one in the UK has asked where the sun is these days. Statistical data is always in demand, so a couple of recent Tipples have been on population resources (4014, 4049). And there's been one on official statistics sites around the world (4096). One Tippler has been looking for European retail market statistics (4065). While such data may be available, it may not be free of charge. So if anyone knows if it can be picked up for free, do let us know. On the search front we had requests for music search engines (4066) and for ezine search engines (4072), and we had a look at a site where parents can find out about safe surfing (3930). We also looked at a meta search engine (3950) and a site which lists useful search features, along with search tools which have those features (4058). And there has been a request for a list of the UK's top B2B portals, if anyone knows where to find that (4102). Some good resources have been unearthed covering languages of the world (3939), international company registration details (3963), private company information (3948), festivals around the world (3981), financial services newsgroups (4007), Enterprise Resource Planning (4017), Knowledge Management (4038), UK commercial property (4057), popular cultures (4071) and a site which holds a large selection of Internet surveys (4106). We didn't find a source of European market sizing by country and industry (3946), though I'm sure some Free Pinter knows where it can be found. Meantime, I'll keep digging. On the technical front, someone was looking for designers (3920), cheap Web hosting facilities (4097) and advice on changing images on a site (4104). Not all the same people, of course. Another Pinter has a firewall problem and the maker has ignored calls for help (3965) and there's even someone having trouble with a TV-out Graphics Card (4031). Nightmare! And we have had postings on electronic address books (4055), online seminars (3988) and Internet videoconferencing, too (3974). Other subjects that have caught my eye include writing book reviews for children (3971), legal threats (3989), graduate statistics (4032), the history of the Israeli technology sector (4033), Investors in People (4051), finance for business expansion (4084), fiction writing sites (4052) and newsletter creation and delivery (4105). So even if there is nothing new, there is certainly a good selection of things under the sun. Simon Collery, Content Developer, Free Pint To read threads, view this summary online with activated hyperlinks at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm#bar>, visit the Bar itself <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar> or add the message number to the end of <http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/config.pl?read=>, e.g. <http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/config.pl?read=3989>. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Do you have a research question or Web-related comment? It's easy to post a message at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar>. Visit daily for "Today's Tipple" - a different Web site reviewed every working day at the Bar. Access the Portal archive of Tipples at: <http://www.freepint.co.uk/portal/content/tipple.php3>. To have the latest Free Pint Bar postings sent to you every other day, send a blank email to <digest@freepint.co.uk>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> RECOMMEND A FRIEND <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/reco.htm Please spread the word by telling your friends about Free Pint. It's easy by entering their details on the page above. You can see what we'll send before we send it, and we don't keep your friend's details on file. It's courteous and confidential. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = TIPS AND TECHNIQUES http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm#tips "Puppetry and Animation Sources on the Web" By Carey McIlvenny If you thought puppetry was solely all about Mr Punch doing a runner with a certain crocodile's sausages - think again. Over the past few years, puppetry (and animation) have become artforms that are being increasingly embraced by contemporary culture. For example, hip music video-makers such as the UK's Hammer & Tongs <http://www.hammerandtongs.co.uk> have included puppetry and animation in work for Fatboy Slim's 'Right Here, Right Now' <http://www.skint.net>, Britpop act Blur's 'Coffee and TV' <http://www.food-records.co.uk> and Supergrass' 'Pumping on Your Stereo' videos <http://www.supergrass.com>. In recent TV advertising campaigns, a mint confectionery brand utilises puppetry in a gospel-mint-worshipping scenario while a certain 'alchopop' brand creates a 'Narnia' style environment with spooky string puppets. Not forgetting, of course, the popular culture icon associated with Levis - the fab Flat Eric. With puppetry and animation, quite rightly, continuing to broaden its appeal to a larger adult audience, there are plenty of Internet references available. One of the most well-known puppetry sites is the excellent <http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry>. Produced by Rose Sage, the site acts as an excellent free resource to the puppetry community and is 'dedicated to international puppetry'. It offers free classified ads for puppetry events (and refreshingly, no other advertising), news, events, puppetry traditions, answers to puppetry questions, museums and performers. It's a simply designed site but very effective, especially for newcomers wanting to find out more about the genre. The British wing of UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionette) - BRUNIMA has a page on the Sagecraft site at <http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/organizations/BRUNIMA.html>, a very useful organisation for anyone with an interest in puppets as it 'aims to support the status of puppeteers and puppetry by raising public awareness of the value and importance of puppetry as an artform in its own right'. The USA wing of UNIMA can be found at <http://www.unima-usa.org>. The AOL Puppetry Board at <http://members.aol.com/freshwater/puppbrd/puppbrd.html> is a useful meeting place for all puppetry enthusiasts, whether professional or amateur. If you want to catch some puppetry in motion - visit <http://www.bton.ac.uk/visions2000> to find out about forthcoming events at the UK's largest festival of international animated theatre, visions2000. The festival takes place in Brighton and beyond in October 2000 and aims to highlight the diverse nature of puppetry. The festival spans live performance, exhibitions, film screenings and workshops, all with a contemporary edge. Or find out about the Puppeteers of America Southeast Regional Festival of the Americas 2000 at <http://www.puppetlove.com/festival/index.htm>. Those already working in the industry and those wanting to enter it, might find the BECTU (Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union) site of help at <http://www.bectu.org.uk>. BECTU is the UK union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure and allied industries. It offers useful information such as conference reports, a history project and freelance careers advice and guidance. Or visit the sites of those who are at the pinnacle of the industry. Find out about the work of Jim Henson at the extremely informative <http://www.henson.com> - creator of the Muppets. Also learn about the ground-breaking animatronics work undertaken by the Henson Creature Shop who've worked on diverse projects such as TV programme 'Firescape', various music videos, the theatre production of Dr Dolittle and the film 'The Dark Crystal'. The Bristol-based puppetry and animation company Aardman Animations' site is at <http://www.aardman.com>. They produced 'Morph', 'Wallace & Gromit' and the current film 'Chicken Run' (on which celebs such as Mel Gibson and Jane Horrocks have been involved) - details of all of which are available. Great animated characters dash across the screen, such as a little Morph in 'film-director' guise. News, a showcase and a guestbook also feature on this thoroughly enjoyable site. There's plenty of individual makers who have pages on the web, see Emmy-ward winning Pat Brymer Creations at <http://www.pbcreations.com>. USA-based Brymer specialises in puppets for TV and the entertainment industry. Another American puppeteer Rick Lyon is at <http://www.lyonpuppets.com>, where you can learn all about his work and colourful puppet troupe. To be kept up-to-date on animation and puppetry developments, there are heaps of relevant news items at <http://www.awn.com>, the bright and appealing site of the Animation World Network. While Animation Magazine, <http://www.animag.com>, has industry news, a directory, events calendar, software and a bookstore. But for those of you who still can't resist a touch of nostalgia for famous puppetry and animation characters from the past, source some cult favourites at <http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/1011/index.htm> which has links to favourites such as Bagpuss, Chorlton and the Wheelies, Captain Scarlet and Noggin the Nog. Or try the Children's Television Workshop at <http://www.ctw.org> for Bert, Ernie and all the other Sesame Street regulars. Naturally, there are bound to be hundreds of other appropriate sites lurking out there, so apologies for any that have been omitted. Hopefully, the references above offer a brief outline of puppetry and animation on the web and emphasise that's it's for grown-ups too! > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Carey McIlvenny BA (Hons), MA undertakes freelance writing and manages an alternative music website <http://www.theknowledge.com>. The visions2000 festival is promoted by the University of Brighton and embraces an eclectic mix of puppetry and animated theatre in all its form. For more information or to join the free visions mailing list, please email: visions.fest@bton.ac.uk or contact the Festival Hotline: 01273 644099 (+44 1273 644099 from outside UK). > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm#tips> * Discuss this article with the author now at the Free Pint Bar <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY *** Alleviate the pressure of selling and concentrate on the development of your site. ValueClick's advertising model delivers: * No cost to you, instead we pay you every month for all the Clicks * A guaranteed 100% sell-out of all your available inventory * Easy to get started, flexible and no exclusivity required * High quality banner advertising. Find out more and sign up at: http://valueclick.com/cgi-bin/refer_host_signup?host=h0155628 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [vc674] >>> FREE PINT FACT <<< Somebody once suggested offering readers the choice of receiving Free Pint by email or hard copy. Since a third of our subscribers are in the UK and the rest in 117 countries around the world, publishing one edition of the newsletter would cost around 15,000 pounds (US$23,000) in postage alone! > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT BOOKSHELF http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf "Internet Business Intelligence: How to build a big company system on a small company budget" Reviewed by Jan Whittington 'Internet Business Intelligence' surveys online business information and how to use this intelligence for competitive advantage. The intended audience is small and medium-sized company owners and managers, consultants, entrepreneurs, information professionals, sales and marketing executives with much of the material being scalable for larger enterprises. David Vine takes a systematic and thorough approach to the subject by firstly defining business intelligence (BI) encompassing competitive intelligence (CI). Any notion that CI is an unethical, illegal activity is dispelled by the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) <http://www.scip.com> code of ethics. SCIP demonstrates that in fact CI uses legally obtained information, making deductions where data cannot be ascertained to complete the picture. The author recommends Jerry Millers book 'Millennium Intelligence' for further study of CI. There are several benefits of establishing an Internet Business Intelligence System (IBIS). The book details in particular the positive contributions for key management and departments within a company. The case studies build on this foundation by proving the importance for a company to reach critical business intelligence before their competitors. A pragmatic guide in setting up the IBIS follows. Questions such as what sort of information is needed and what is the most valuable competitor data are raised. The decision making process concerning the framework and the software and hardware required are dealt with in depth. Anticipating the diversity of his audience the author helpfully offers less exorbitant software options alongside the utopian IBIS system. In the information professional's role as 'gatherer', a methodology for searching and collating data is described along with relevant intelligence sources (for example newsgroups, resources on the internet and CD-ROMs). The effective organisation of the information coupled with analysis leads to the generation of knowledge. This intelligence only becomes true 'business intelligence' when it is communicated to the inquirer enabling them to take smart decisions. The psychological aspects in selecting business intelligence staff and understanding users, strategic and tactical management techniques and review of state-of-the-art technology combine to form valuable background knowledge. The author has assembled in this book a compact guide to building a business intelligence system with a manual for general research technique. The net result is a practical means of finding information, converting this into strategic choices and decisive action for a competitive edge. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jan Whittington has participated in the information industry for 12 years, primarily the fields of finance and engineering. Currently operating as information manager at venture capitalist Advent International PLC, she has held information posts at Westdeutsche Landesbank and WS Atkins PLC. One of her focus areas is the benefits of information management and research in both the office environment and voluntary local community projects. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * "Millennium Intelligence" Bookshelf review in Free Pint No.62 <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/110500.htm> * "Internet Intelligence - analysing web-sites for competitive intelligence" article in Free Pint No.65 <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/220600.htm> * Find out more about this book online at the Free Pint Bookshelf <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf/vine.htm> * Read about other Internet strategy books on the Free Pint Bookshelf <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf/strategy.htm> * Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk <http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0910965358/freepint0c> or Amazon.com <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0910965358/freepint00> * Search for and purchase any book from Amazon via the Bookshelf <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf> To propose a business-Web-related book for review, send details to>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> FREE PINT INDUSTRY NEWSFEED LIVE - FREE <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/news > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FEATURE ARTICLE http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm#feature "Web resources for handheld computers" By Ian Tilsed Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), also variously called handheld computers or palmtops, are experiencing a stunning growth in popularity. Whilst stories about mobile telephony and WAP have dominated the press, the PDA world has been busy developing new products that are now exploding on to the scene. Witness, for instance, the recent launch of Microsoft's third generation mobile operating system - Pocket PC - and the latest hardware by the likes of Compaq and Hewlett Packard that support it. Look at the popularity of Palm OS devices, and the long and continuing tradition that Psion has in the PDA arena. You do not have to wait for a WAP phone before you can surf the Internet on the move either, as Internet access is now an integral feature of the PDA scene. Inevitably, there are many resources on the Internet for the growing band of PDA users, covering all platforms and tastes. This article aims to give a brief overview of the area, identifying some of the quality sites and essential resources for effective and happy handheld computing. HANDSPRING ---------- The latest entrant in the PDA arena is Handspring <http://www.handspring.com/>, a company founded by the three people who originally invented the Palm Pilot, established Palm (now a 3com company) and marketed the product. With their Visor product range that utilises the Palm OS but has the new Handspring Springboard expansion slot and modules, this company will soon be challenging Palm for supremacy in the PDA market. VisorVillage <http://www.visorvillage.com/>, an internet.com site, is one of the few Visor portals, alongside VisorZone <http://www.visorzone.com/> and VisorCentral <http://www.visorcentral.com/>. PALM ---- Palm Inc. <http://palm.3com.com/> is the home of the Palm handheld computers and the Palm Operating System (Palm OS), which is licensed to other companies. Of note at this site is the extensive web resources section - unusual for a primary manufacturer. There are several notable 'portals' for Palm information, including Palm Boulevard <http://www.palmblvd.com/>, another excellent site from the internet.com stable, and Palmstock <http://www.palmstock.com/>, a less featured site that describes itself as a 'festival of links for PalmPilot people'. The PalmZone <http://www.palmzone.com/> is a curious site that provides news and stories about Palm computing, alongside Windows CE material. FoxPop <http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/Palmcover.htm> has a fledgling section on Palm products that is worth watching for its in-depth reviews. For software it should come as no surprise that ZDNet <http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/pilotsoftware/> has an excellent Palm downloads section, as does TUCOWS PDA <http://pda.tucows.com/palm/index.html>. Both of these are complemented by PalmGear <http://www.palmgear.com/>, and 3-Lib <http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/>, which, despite its EPOC software bias, offers links to Palm sites and resources. POCKET PC --------- Microsoft's latest mobile operating system is Pocket PC <http://www.pocketpc.com/>, launched as recently as April this year. Web resources are therefore limited at the moment. However, it is worth looking at the various Pocket PC manufacturers, such as Hewlett Packard <http://www.hp.com/jornada/> with their new Jornada series, Compaq <http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/pocketpc/index.html> with the iPAQ and Aero ranges, and Casio <http://www.casio.com/mobileinformation/> with the latest Cassiopeia units. Be prepared to hear more of Pocket PC in the months to come. PSION / EPOC ------------ Founded in the UK in 1980, Psion <http://www.psion.com/> became one of the earliest manufacturers of handheld computing products with the launch of the Psion Organiser in 1984. Psion Computers now produces a range of PDAs including the Series 3, Series 5, the Revo and the colour Series 7. From Series 5 the handhelds have been based on the Symbian <http://www.symbian.com> EPOC operating system software, which is jointly developed by Psion, Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola. Psion Place (http://www.psionplace.com/>, another internet.com offering, leads the way in portal offerings, with news, reviews, editorial and downloads. Hard on its heels is EPOC Zone <http://www.epoczone.com/>, albeit with a greater emphasis on tips and tools than news and views. Pocket Info <http://www.pocketinfo.org/> is a near comprehensive and authoritative collection of software for Psion handhelds. However, its future is under review by Psion, the main sponsor, after the maintainer of the site relinquished the role last December. Again TUCOWS PDA <http://pda.tucows.com/epoc/index.html> hosts a large collection of EPOC software, clearly categorised, as does 3-Lib <http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/>. Pascal Nicolas maintains a popular collection of freeware for EPOC <http://pnicolas.epocboulevard.com/>, all written by him and recently updated for the Revo. Links to reviews and ratings are provided for each utility. WINDOWS CE ---------- Until the recent launch of Pocket PC, Microsoft Windows CE was the operating system of choice for many handheld PCs. Whilst Microsoft itself now redirects links for the old Windows CE website to Microsoft Mobile <http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/> there are still numerous Windows CE resources available on the web. CEWindows.Net <http://www.cewindows.net/> is an extensive and authoritative site produced by Chris De Herrera, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Windows CE. What this man does not know about Windows CE is not worth knowing. CE City <http://www.wincecity.com/> is the high quality internet.com portal for this OS, offering news, reviews, downloads and a staggering number of message boards for the different manufacturers of CE hardware. Latest additions to the site include Pocket PC material, so it will be interesting to see how this site develops. FoxPop <http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/WinCEcover.htm> also has a fairly new section covering this OS. Again TUCOWS PDA <http://pda.tucows.com/wince/index.html> provides a well-organised collection of software, this time for Windows CE appliances. ZDNet <http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/ce/> likewise also offers a similar collection, together with links to its own CE news and guides. WindowsCE Online <http://www.winceonline.com/> also has a significant software section, both free and otherwise. PUBLICATIONS ------------ In addition to the mainstream computing press, which usually offers reviews of PDA products, there are a growing number of specialist publications. Most have a limited Internet presence, with extracts and reviews that complement their hardcopy existence. Palmtop Publications <https://www.palmtop.co.uk/> in the UK produces two journals - Palmtop Magazine, aimed at Psion users, and PalmUser Magazine, on Palm organisers and compatibles. Each has a downloadable index in appropriate PDA formats. Pocket PC Online <http://www.hpcmag.com/>, formerly Handheld PC Magazine, offers a more substantial web presence, with a software downloads section and a comprehensive archive of reviews. Zatz Publications <http://www.zatz.com/> produces several free online publications. PalmPower Magazine <http://www.palmpower.com/>, is subtitled 'tips and techniques exclusively for Palm computer users', whilst Windows CE Power Magazine <http://www.windowscepower.com/> is described as the same for Windows CE users. Both publications have a similar format, with news sections, regular columns and feature articles. Both offer mobile editions. For a wider view of the wireless arena take a look at the online presence of Wireless Week <http://www.wirelessweek.com/>, a US based publication that offers news, extracts and some full text articles. PORTALS & SEARCH ENGINES ------------------------ In addition to the platform specific portals, described above, there are several general sites that have much to offer. PDA Street <http://www.pdastreet.com/> is the home of the internet.com offerings (such as Psion Place) listed earlier. PDA Buzz <http://www.pdabuzz.com/> describes itself as the 'Internet's definitive PDA community', whilst PDA Geek <http://www.geek.com/pdageek/> offers extensive news material about all things PDA. The Gadgeteer <http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/> is an excellent site for news, links and reviews of PDAs and much more, including the latest in wearable computers! A search on Yahoo! will find countless 'hits' for the term 'PDA', with 10 category matches and 82 site matches within the Computing and Internet sub-section alone. But do not fear - help is at hand. Websearches, the topical search engine site, offers two of interest, namely Psion Websearches <http://psion.websearches.net/> and Palm Websearches <http://palm.websearches.net/>. Googol <http://www.googol.net/>, which describes itself as the EPOC Directory, also offers a search facility alongside articles, Usenet news links and other facilities. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ian Tilsed is a Computing Development Officer for the University of Exeter Library and Information Service <http://www.ex.ac.uk/library/>, where he is responsible for the library web site and some popular pages on library and information science resources. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Online Information Review (formerly Online & CD-ROM Review), the Internet News column editor for the UKOLUG Newsletter and a regular reviewer for a number of publications. He is the happy owner of a Psion Series 5mx. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * "WAP Technology and Services" article in Free Pint No.65 <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/220600.htm> * Respond to this article and chat to the author now at the Bar <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar> * Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/200700.htm#feature> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> FREE PINT PORTAL <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/portal Subject access to all our content, articles, tipples and more. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FORTHCOMING EVENTS http://www.freepint.co.uk/events It's a quiet time for events at the moment, but if you want to combine a business trip with a holiday you could hit the Association for Computing Machinery's Information Retrieval Annual Conference in Athens. Alternatively, there's the Wireless Internet Conference in Chicago. At the same time, the Application Service Provider's Conference is being held in London, UK. Full details of these and many other forthcoming conferences and exhibitions in the online-information and Internet industry can be found on the Free Pint Events page <http://www.freepint.co.uk/events>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT GOLD This time last year we looked at the availability of full text articles online and found out where to get the best content on business and IT. We also had an article on the intranet tools available for integrating online services. Two years ago our Tips and Techniques article was on the subject of travel and tourism resources on the Web, listing guides, maps, booking facilities, timetables, and anything which may be useful. We also ran a feature on the ever popular subject of getting a high ranking on search engines. Free Pint one year ago ... * Free Pint No.43, 22nd July 1999 "Full Text Online?" and "Intranet 'Toolkits' for Integrating Online Services" <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/220799.htm>. Free Pint two years ago ... * Free Pint No.19, 23rd July 1998 "Travel and Tourism Resources on the Web" and "First Amongst Equals (Search Engine Placement)" <http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/230798.htm>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES * Business Information Portals * Surveillance * Film Industry * * Space Science * Genealogy * ICQ * Reflexology Sources * * European Document Delivery * Knowledge Management * * Patents and the Web * Mental Health Sources * The view from OZ * [Provisional] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = We do hope you've enjoyed this issue of Free Pint and will join us online at the new Free Pint Portal. Your feedback is always welcomed at the Bar and I hope you can tell other people about Free Pint if you find it useful. See you in two weeks! William Hann, Managing Editor william@freepint.co.uk (c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2000 http://www.freepint.co.uk/ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = CONTACT INFORMATION William Hann BSc MIInfSc, Founder and Managing Editor e: william@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1784 455435 f: +44 (0)1784 455436 Rex Cooke FIInfSc FRSA, Editor e: rex@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1342 316027 f: +44 (0)1342 316027 Simon Collery BA, Business Development e: simon@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1865 434143 f: +44 (0)1784 455436 Address Free Pint Limited, FREEPOST (SEA3901), Staines Middlesex, TW18 3BR, United Kingdom (Please add a stamp if you would like to pay for postage) Web - http://www.freepint.co.uk Advertising - ads@freepint.co.uk Subscriptions - subs@freepint.co.uk Letters & Comments - feedback@freepint.co.uk Authors - http://www.freepint.co.uk/author.htm Latest Issue Autoresponder - auto@freepint.co.uk > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Free Pint (ISSN 1460-7239) is a free newsletter written by information professionals who share how they find quality and reliable information on the Internet. Useful to anyone who uses the Web for their work, it is published every two weeks by email. To subscribe, unsubscribe, find details about contributing, advertising or to see past issues, please visit the Web site at http://www.freepint.co.uk/ or call +44 (0)1784 455 466. Please note: Free Pint is a trademark of, and published by, Free Pint Limited <http://www.freepint.co.uk/>. The publishers will NEVER make the subscriber list available to any other company or organisation. The opinions, advice, products and services offered herein are the sole responsibility of the contributors. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the publication, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. This publication may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety. However, individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or distributed without the prior written agreement of the publishers. Write to Rex Cooke, Editor <rex@freepint.co.uk> for more details. Product names used in Free Pint are for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Free Pint disclaims any and all rights in those marks. All rights reserved. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
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- Publication Date: 19th July 2000
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- Link: https://www.jinfo.com/go/newsletter/67
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