Subject: Free Pint No.57 - Travel, Chemistry and eCommerce Free Pint "Helping 27,000 people use the Web for their work" http://www.freepint.co.uk/ ISSN 1460-7239 2nd March 2000 No.57 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL TIPS AND TECHNIQUES "Travel related websites" By Lynn Temple BOOKSHELF "Electronic Commerce - Strategies and models for business to business trading" Reviewed by Margaret Morrison FEATURE ARTICLE "Chemistry Webzines - How to find the right news for you" By John Buckingham and Jenny Drey FREE PINT BAR SUMMARY by Simon Collery FORTHCOMING EVENTS http://www.freepint.co.uk/events FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES CONTACT INFORMATION ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/020300.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** VALUECLICK PROVIDES REVENUES TO WEBSITES *** ValueClick is the world leader in performance based advertising. Benefits to Host sites include: * Payment from 8p - 14p per click-through. Paid monthly * Guarantee 100% sell out of advertising inventory * Easy to get started and no exclusive contract required Sign up to become a Host site at http://www.valueclick.com Or call 020 7751 0555 / email info@valueclick.com > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [vc571] >>> 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. The Web site at gives free access to the substantial archive of articles, book reviews, industry news and events, with research questions and answers at the "Free Pint Bar". > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = EDITORIAL It's all about people. That's been Free Pint's ethos right from the start. By people I mean you the members of our community, and the super team we have working here at Free Pint. As of today, Rex has been the newsletter's Editor for two years, and what a great job he has done. His dedication to sourcing top quality articles in a wide range of topics has been outstanding. Lesley and I have been hearing about the importance of a good team as we've been talking to various finance parties about our plans for the future. This is certainly an exciting time as we meet with advisors and venture capitalists, and is proving a full-time job for both of us at the moment. Simon, our "Star at the Bar", is another full-timer supporting the community with his in-depth knowledge of what's available on the Web. Our diligent administrator Jane will also have been with us two years in the summer, and beavers away handling subscriber enquires, administration and user profiling. I think all of this goes to show that large communities in this "new economy" are actually being underpinned by hard work from professionals with real business and life experience. Today's Free Pint brings you a look at Web sites for the business traveller and a review of a book about B2B eCommerce strategies by a senior member of the European Commission, Directorate-General XIII. This is followed by a round up of chemistry publications available online, and Simon's summary of the latest 200 postings at the Bar. We outline some of the conferences taking place over the next few weeks, and finish by letting you know what we've got planned for forthcoming editions of Free Pint. If you enjoy today's issue then please do tell your colleagues and friends. We'd also love to hear from you at the Bar. 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/ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** VALUECLICK DRIVES TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE *** ValueClick is the world leader in performance based advertising. Benefits to Advertisers include: * Provides a no risk solution to acquiring new visitors * Pay only for unique visitors to your web site * Delivers free impressions and free branding To become an Advertiser call 020 7751 0555 or email rupert@valueclick.com Or visit us at http://www.valueclick.com > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [vc572] >>> TODAY'S INDUSTRY NEWS IN 200 TOPICS - FREE <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/news > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = TIPS AND TECHNIQUES http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/020300.htm#tips "Travel related websites" By Lynn Temple The candlestick maker is already extinct. The butcher and the baker heading that way. The travel agent may be next for the chop. Booking travel online is becoming easier daily as airlines, hotel chains and tour operators gradually adapt to the new selling medium. I have covered sites in this article where online booking is a feature. Many travel sites offer online brochures, but still require a phone call or visit to the travel agent when it comes to booking. Air Travel Many airlines offer online booking facilities. These include Virgin , TWA , United Airlines , Delta and Continental for transatlantic flights. But better deals can be found by going to online flight shops such as ebookers , deckchair , Cheapflights and Airtickets Direct . These all cover the major airlines. For budget European flights, Go , Ryanair , Easyjet and Buzz . All offer good deals and cover an ever-expanding range of destinations. Hotels There are many web-based hotel-booking agents. The France Hotel Guide is an excellent site for French hotels. It is easy to use and offers a wide variety of hotels in all categories throughout France. Hotel Denmark is another good site with links to hotels in other Scandinavian countries. In both these cases reservations were confirmed within 12 hours. The British Hotel Reservation Centre has many London hotels on its site but none in the rest of the UK despite claims to the contrary. Online companies such as Hotel Hotel and 123 Go have online enquiry forms: submit the city you wish to stay in and they will respond with suitable hotels. Room Service has small, family run hotels in Western Europe. Hotel Chains have adapted enthusiastically to the web. The Hilton chain has special offers online and will email value rates every week on request. Sheraton for worldwide reservations and Travelodge for the UK are two more of the many chains offering online booking. Worth a mention also is Intercontinental which has good weekend offers in luxury hotels, such as the Carlton in Cannes. Rail Travel What do Richard Branson and my 21 year old son have in common? Neither of them likes Sunday mornings. While trying to book a ticket on Virgin trains for a Sunday morning journey from Lancaster to London I discovered that the first train of the day is at 15.05. Sunday daytrips to the capital from the North are ruled out! I booked a ticket through thetrainline.com - you can also find out times and reserve seats for any train operator in the UK mainland. It is easy to use and the tickets arrived the next day. For rail travel in the UK this site is all you need as few individual operating companies have online booking facilities, or if they do, it is usually via the trainline.com. Eurostar can be booked online but requires registration. European rail companies have yet to offer online booking for UK residents but sites such as European Rail and Eurorail are useful for timetables and fares. Last Minute Many hotel chains offer good deals if you can travel at short notice. LateRooms has good package deals as well as UK hotel rooms for the following week. It is possible to register for a regular newsletter giving bargains. Their 'Holiday Helper' will find you the ideal break once you have submitted your requirements. Global hotel rooms are soon to be added to the site. Open World is a worldwide luxury hotel search engine offering good deals. Webflyer.com is a roundup of last minute deals, supposedly to save the trouble of scrolling through them all. At the moment, however, it is limited to a small number of hotel chains .QXL operates an online auction system for last minute holidays and flights if you are prepared to undergo the tedium of bidding. Lastminute.com has numerous offers throughout the world. Destination Guides Many well-known travel guides have a web presence although the information they provide is sometimes limited compared to the original books. This is true for example in the case of Rough Guides and Timeout . Fodor's covers numerous destinations in detail and also provides an online talking phrasebook in German, Spanish, Italian and French. Lonely Planet offers downloadable city guides, although this service is limited at the moment. The Association Of National Tourism has links to UK representatives of Tourist offices worldwide. These sites offer much information about the countries and UK tour operators operating there. This site also links to some tourist boards. Self Catering European self-catering is not easy to book online although many companies accept email reservations. There are, however a number of UK companies who offer online booking facilities. Cumbrian Cottages , Lakelovers and Red Rose Cottages cover the North West. In Scotland, Discover Scotland and Houses in Scotland offer possibilities. In Wales, Wales Cottage Holidays have many properties on offer. Town and Country Cottages covers Somerset, the Cotswolds the Wye Valley and Herefordshire and Recommended Cottages cover the whole UK. Those in search of something a little different might like to try Footprint Adventures , which offers Wildlife holidays worldwide. This is a good, informative site. Travelbag Adventures specialises in small group holidays off the beaten track. The Ecodive site provides an international diving guide with links to tour operators. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lynn Temple worked for many years in Music Education until she discovered the web! She now works with her husband Peter a financial writer and web guru. Together they form Peter Temple Associates. They both enjoy travelling. All the sites mentioned here can be reached at . Lynn can be contacted at . > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * "Travel and Tourism Resources on the Web" article in Free Pint No.19 * Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks * Discuss this article with the author now at the Free Pint Bar > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ACCESS SCANNED, ANNUAL AND INTERIM, REPORTS FOR OVER 5000 BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES WORLDWIDE VIA THE INTERNET Includes an Alert Service & instant delivery to your desktop by email ***Email marketing@bvd.co.uk to get your sample report.*** Or get more information on www.bvdep.com/products/bankscope_scanned_reports/overview.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [bv573] >>> WHY DO THEY KEEP COMING BACK? BECAUSE IT WORKS <<< An advert in Free Pint will get you some great coverage: * it is seen by 27,000 registered subscribers * they pass it on to about 100,000 other readers * it remains in the Web site archive for all time * it comes with free banner exposures on the Web site http://www.freepint.co.uk/advert.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT BOOKSHELF http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf "Electronic Commerce - Strategies and models for business to business trading" Reviewed by Margaret Morrison Paul Timmers' book published last October analyses strategic marketing approaches on the basis of both marketing theory and international case studies. Its systematic study of Internet commerce models should allow any company to better organise their business and understand where their sources of revenue come from. It offers an assessment of a rapidly growing area, covering current models and showing how they have fared in practice. The book also provides an analytical assessment of the marketplace for business-to-business electronic commerce strategies and includes recommendations for the implementation of a marketing strategy for business-to-business e-commerce. The area of e-commerce projected to generate the most enormous revenues, despite all the press hype about the business to consumer market (Amazon, Lastminute.com and so on), is the business to business market. It is an incredibly fast-moving area where a new idea can transform the whole structure of the "real world" business. There are eight case studies in this volume, of which an impressive four are European companies: a fact which should not surprise us as Mr Timmers is head of sector in the European Commission, Directorate-General XIII, in the Information Technologies Directorate. He is thus directly involved in shaping the future of European e-commerce policy. While the US/global case studies (such as FedEx) are fairly well known and have been cited before, it is good to see less well known examples such as Infomar, a trading and auction system in the fishing trade. This is an example of where the real-world industry can be transformed by the implementation of such systems: real-time trading in the product can actually mean in theory that the feedback the fishermen receive could result in an end to overfishing - they would not catch more than they knew they could sell. Infomar is also an example of involvement in e-commerce development by the European Commission - it was originally a pilot project in the ESPRIT program run by Mr Timmers. This does of course mean there is a great depth of information in the case study; other companies however are equally well represented, with if anything less emphasis on the more well known examples. Another effect of the author's day job I presume is the interest in the effect of e-commerce on competition and barriers to entry, some useful thoughts on cross-European standards to facilitate trading, and a comparative look at the state of regulation in the EU and the USA. One of the most helpful features of this book is the flexible approach to forecasting the future of B2B e-commerce: Mr Timmers is well aware of the fast-changing nature of the industry and the difficulties in relying on market research: he therefore analyses models and highlights trends rather than making overly specific predictions. This enables the reader to better understand the likely impact of new developments as they occur. Sections I would particularly recommend are those on disintermediation and on the convergence of B2B and B2C markets. Mr Timmers' hot tip? One to one marketing has not reached it's full potential. My hot tip? If you can't plough through the whole book, the last two pages are a useful summary - and don't miss out on the case studies. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Margaret Morrison is a Knowledge Specialist in the area of Electronics and High-Tech for Andersen Consulting. She provides secondary research in this area, more and more of which now focuses on e-commerce. She is also so keen on e-commerce she even runs her own e-business in her spare time - selling American candy at . > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * Related eCommerce book reviews on the Free Pint Bookshelf * Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com * Read this book review online at the Free Pint Bookshelf To propose a business-Web-related book for review, send details to . > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Get the inside story on knowledge management ... straight from the experts http://www.knowledge-management.co.uk/kmfp Keep ahead with the latest issues and developments in KM products, services and procedures with our monthly magazine and annual conference and exhibition. You'll find everything you need to put KM procedures into practice. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [li574] >>> SEARCH THE SITE IN A SECOND <<< Check whether we've covered your area of interest in 114 articles, 2200 Bar postings, book reviews, events and news http://www.freepint.co.uk/search > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FEATURE ARTICLE http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/020300.htm#feature "Chemistry Webzines - How to find the right news for you" By John Buckingham and Jenny Drey The problem facing all of us these days is how to locate that small percentage of valuable and interesting material on the Web. Chemists, like everyone else, need to be kept up-to-date with the latest in their field. Most of us know which print publications fit the bill. However, there are a growing number of publications now on the Web, which (claim to) serve the same purpose as the longer- established print media. But exactly what is there on offer, and how do you locate it? And what advantages, if any, do the online media hold over the print media? Several of the sites covered here, including some of the more successful ones, are electronic equivalents of print products. One legitimate function of such sites is to raise awareness of the print version and to generate more print subscriptions, and to do this the main requirements are that the website should be at least as well designed as the print equivalent, and generate interest in the news stories and other content. Some sites are over-proprietorial, restricting access to their data. It is difficult to see the justification for this restrictive attitude, which seems to spring from an overvaluation by the site owners of the information the site contains, and of the level of interest the average browser might have. New Scientist This website has clearly been designed to mimic as far as possible the printed version and to attract further readers, which it does admirably. Colour headlines attract the browser, and crosslinks are provided to related stories. The selection of articles and their content are well chosen so as to generate a high degree of interest whilst not giving away everything that is in the print version. There are also valuable web-only features, including a job vacancy register and fully-searchable archive of hundreds of questions and answers on general science. You can search the associated Planet Science site, which is an archive of about 1/3rd of the material that appears in the printed version. A good compromise between holding users' interest and giving away everything for free on the Web. The sole, and major, disadvantage for chemist users of this site is the low level of the chemical information presented. Most of the best stories do not concern chemistry at all. Rating: Design A; Functionality B; Topicality A; Quality of Information C; Relevance to chemists D. Today's Chemist At Work (ACS) The 'About the Magazine' link stated this is 'The industrial chemist's personal handbook for on-the-job success'. The content was variable. An article by Steve Heller had useful working hotlinks. However, other articles were much less impressive, with a lot of scope for such links, which had not been installed. You can also search all ACS journals from this site, but downloading them requires credit card payment or subscription to the Web edition. A sample search on Stereochemistry in title retrieved 162 documents; although the search bar says 'all years', in fact titles were only retrieved back to 1996. A fairly useful site, but sweeping claims are made which are not matched by reality. Rating: Design B; Functionality B; Topicality B; Quality of information B; Relevance to chemists B. Chemical and Engineering News (ACS) Access to the current issue is restricted to subscribers of the print edition, and you have to enter your ACS membership number. My number did not work - it is necessary to register your interest to receive access to the electronic version, although this is nowhere stated on the home page. Access to certain features containing pdf files required acroread.exe, and no facility was provided to download this from the site, as is usually the case. Having said this, once you gain access to the site the editorial content is good (more interesting than the printed magazine, and up- to-date). There is a bias in content towards corporate news stories and ACS corporate matter, such as conference calendars and abstracts, although it is not possible even to read the full content of a conference abstract without a subscription. The written articles had good graphics and useful hotlinks, for example from an article on TRI emissions there was a link to the Chemical Manufacturers' Association homepage. However, in this respect a learned society such as the ACS can be criticised for being too much in the pocket of industry - where are the hotlinks to environmental groups' homepages? Rating: Design B; Functionality B; Topicality A; Quality of information C; Relevance to chemists A. BioPharm Magazine Online This site has a good feel, but falls down on topicality. The areas of information covered are more at the biochemical/life sciences end of chemistry. There were a few innovative and user-friendly features, and an extensive calendar of events, and pharmaceutical industry stock quotes. Two features that were looked at emphasised the lack of topicality. Past Features and Book Reviews were last updated a year ago. There is no online ordering facility (such as Amazon) provided. An attractive site for a major potential user group, but it falls down badly on delivery. Rating: Design B; Functionality B; Topicality E; Quality of information C; Relevance to chemists C. Chemical Engineering Another site corresponding to a print magazine. The well-designed home page branches into; (1) Features. Reasonably well-written, from the printed version on topics such as Y2K compliance and corporate espionage. References in these articles are few, and not clickable, throwing you back to the print version for further information, so not a lot of value was added by having a web version. (2) News items called 'Chementators'. This is a useful service for anyone whose interests lie in chemical engineering/process development. (3) New products and services. This section was mediocre (and out-of- date) - if you should happen to need a BB300 jaw crusher from F. Kurt Reisch GmbH in Germany, no contact name, address, telephone number or email address is given. In general this site gave indications of expectations exceeding performance. Many links did not work. There is a calendar section which is only accessible from the 'last issue', and when seen most of the events were already past. Rating: Design C; Functionality D; Topicality C; Quality of information C; Relevance to chemists C. Chem Bytes (RSC) This comes closer than any of the sites already mentioned to being a useful resource for mainstream chemists. Its best feature is a web- based database of databases, the Chemistry Resource Locator, which contains direct links to some useful resources. Included in these resources are a large number of specialist RSC information sites, such as Focus on Organic Dyes and Colours (monthly, but the most recent issue on the web was 6 months old). This web page links in to the main RSC home page which leads on to information about RSC products, information and services. In general, a valuable resource but with a rather dull and bureaucratic feel, and few graphics. A good place to start for routine factual information, but not inspiring. Rating: Design E; Functionality D; Topicality C; Quality of information B; Relevance to chemists A. Chemical Week The home page leads to a wide range of potentially useful features, such as conferences, trade shows and directories. However, it lists only conferences organised by Chemical Week (only 10). The directories page is useful, covering a range of different topics, from each page of which you can download an Acrobat pdf file. For four of the services (index of back issues, buyer's guide, Executive Edition and product focus), it is necessary to register. The home page says 'register once only for all', but in fact it means 'register once only for each'. The Executive Edition contained a dozen or so of the usual type of business news information items such as 'Church and Dwight Acquires Majority Stake in Brazilian Partner'. Overall, a reasonable site of the business-magazine type. Rating: Design C; Functionality B; Topicality B; Quality of information C; Relevance to chemists C. Chemistry & Industry Again, this website corresponds to a print publication. Chemistry & Industry is an interesting and well-written magazine, so expectations were high. Initial impressions were good. The home page is jazzy and attractive without being trivialising. The website is announced as 'A twice-monthly roundup of international and interdisciplinary news features, comments and views', covering chemistry and a number of good interrelated areas. It does not contain everything that is in the printed version and in general the content is fairly sketchy. It includes useful features such as a job search service. This site sadly falls down on topicality and depth of content, however. The jobs page held only 4 jobs, the deadline for two having already passed. The conference timetable only includes conferences organised by Chemistry & Industry. The magazine archive did not contain anything more recent than 1997. All in all a great disappointment and unlikely to attract regular users. Rating: Design A; Functionality D; Topicality E; Quality of information D; Relevance to chemists B. Reed Magazines Online A large site giving access to Reed chembusiness journals; European Chemical News, Asian Chemical News, Asia Pacific Chemical, Performance Chemicals International, Chemical Insight. Performance Chemicals International was well presented and features such as the conference calendar were up-to-date. Hotlinks worked, and this gave access to information and product prices for a number of chemical companies. However, the 'Editorial Programme' in fact gave access only to article titles, leaving you to take out a print subscription or request a sample copy just to find out if the article is really of interest to you. Asian Chemical News and Chemical Insight were even more heavily restricted, and accessible over the Web only to print subscribers or those requesting a free sample print copy. Again, to sample Chemical News and Intelligence, you have to register and fill in an extensive form -then 'someone will contact you by phone/email to arrange your free trial'- too restrictive for a mere browser. Rating: Design B; Functionality B; Topicality A; Quality of information D; Relevance to chemists D. The Alchemist At last! A home page that looks as if it is designed by and for chemists rather than industrial managers or bureaucrats. This is the webzine of ChemWeb.com, the virtual community for chemists. How nice to see some pure chemistry detail as part of the well thought-out comment in some of the news stories. The news items on the opening page are a lively mixture of pure chemistry research advances, applied chemistry, and quirky 'side-issue' items. Updated daily, each news item has hotlinks to related stories, websites and ChemWeb.com-wide search results. The conference diary is reasonably up-to-date, though not particularly extensive (although it does link in to the full ChemWeb.com Conference Diary which lists hundreds of chemistry events worldwide). There is also a Conference Reporter, providing online updates direct from worldwide chemistry events, as well as a Job Exchange. The book reviews section contained some extremely well-written reviews by subject specialists. If this site can be criticised, it is that it casts its net very widely outside chemistry, and in the search to stay lively, includes items of peripheral interest. It is a tricky balance to hit, but the writers give the strong impression that they are moving in the right directions. The Alchemist is a pure webzine, not a marketing vehicle for a print product, and therefore has no reason to hold back any information from the reader. The news is updated daily, and it's all free. Rating: Design B; Functionality A;. Topicality B; Quality of information B; Relevance to chemists A. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dr John Buckingham is Consultant Editor for the Dictionary of Natural Products, Dictionary of Organic Compounds and other dictionaries in the Chapman & Hall/CRC CD-ROM electronic series (soon to be available on the Web). He joined Chapman & Hall to establish this series in 1980, and before that was lecturer in organic chemistry at London University. He can be reached via . Jenny Drey is a freelance writer/marketing consultant who has worked in the publishing/information industry for nearly 15 years, in a range of different areas including general publishing and scientific, technical and medical. Her particular interest lies in electronic publishing and primarily the Internet.She can be contacted at . > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * "Idiots' guide to chemistry information resources on the Web" article in Free Pint No.36 * Respond to this article and chat to the authors now at the Bar * Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** http://www.internet-librarian.com *** FREE EXHIBITION ENTRY TICKETS FOR FREE PINT READERS - SAVE 15 POUNDS Internet Librarian International & Libtech 2000 - Europe's key Internet librarian event. 20 - 22 March 2000, Olympia 2, London. 3 full conference days - 2 satellite seminar days 3-day Libtech 2000 exhibition - Special full-day book trade seminar Plus lots more...get your programme and free exhibition tickets from: http://www.internet-librarian.com > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [lt575] >>> DO YOU HAVE AN ARTICLE IDEA FOR FREE PINT? <<< http://www.freepint.co.uk/author.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT BAR SUMMARY http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar Here is your summary of what's been happening at the Free Pint Bar over the last couple of weeks. To read a discussion thread you can: - Just visit the Bar. It's free to use and easy to access at: http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar - Read this summary online where all the links are activated: http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/170200.htm#bar - Add the message number (no brackets) to the end of this address: http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/config.pl?read= For example, to read message 1432 you would visit: http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/config.pl?read=1432 Are vertical portals the future (2195)? I often hit a vertical search facility when I know one is available. So when someone asked for the whereabouts of a textile business discussion forum, I pointed him to an apparel directory (2162). On the other hand, I use general search facilities to find other things, for example, the vertical search facility itself. After all, there are probably several for apparel. I find both vertical and horizontal search facilities have their value. What do you think? Apropos of last issue's review of When Things Start to Think, a provocative message was posted about failing to distinguish between the signpost and the destination (2107). A casualty of this sort of failure was someone who arrived in the Bar looking for a discussion list for Internet researchers (2198). While Free Pint has many signposts, it is also a destination, as a quick look at our index will show. So if you are looking for information on pharmaceuticals (2098), chemistry (2196), search engines (2177) or classical music (2086), you'll find annotated signposts for all of these in our archives. While Javascript date formats (2097) and BBS software (2102) may titillate the appetite of some, others prefer lighter beverages, such as e-bulletins (2117), Web site search facilities (2118), attaching PDF files to Web pages (2119) and Web site hosting (2120). Perhaps we could tempt you to some tips on Web design software (2160), using Outlook Express for a mailing list (2175), caption icons (2178), FTP files (2229) or online application forms (2241)? We also have low alcohol options for your delectation, such as domain suffixes (2122) and books about the Internet (2114). And drinkers at the Fountain of Knowledge should rest assured that praise for Free Pint is never off-topic (2257). On the marketing and publicity front, tips have been supplied on click through statistics (2126), site evaluation (2147), appropriate domain names (2190), banner networks (2199) and server logs (2216). Does anyone know what price to demand for ads on a site (2167)? Show yourself. We're talking publicity here. We have had requests for resources on research into recruitment (2093), .com/.co.uk companies in the UK (2092), mobile phone use (2170), Wireless Application Protocol (2225) and regulation in UK industry (2247). Many have been supplied, but if you know of more, please let us know. Do you know where to find information on financial auditing (2083), securitization (2095), charging for online documents (2096), fax machines (2116, 2166), Dutch/English dictionaries (2146), traditional publishing and the Internet (2168), mergers and acquisitions (2183), lawyers in France (2191), inflexion thesauri (2210), installing Bullseye (2217), the order of service for a Catholic wedding (2234), chambers of commerce in the UK (2249) or touchscreen technology (2259)? And do you know of a facility that generates names for products when you specify the criteria (2249)? I wonder what it would call itself? Suggestions welcome. Two years ago in Free Pint, the title of our feature article was 'But What Is It Good For?' Many people who expressed skepticism about technological innovations in the past were subsequently shown to have been misguided. We may no longer doubt that the Web is good for lots of things, but we are still exploring its potential (2111). Another article looked at the strengths and weaknesses of the Web for market researchers. While online marketing and publicity concerns are aired in the Bar constantly, this time last year we were advised to promote our sites offline too. Do you have your URL on tee-shirts, brochures, car stickers and other products? Moving signposts have their uses too. We were also urged to inform ourselves on data privacy issues, always a good idea. Simon Collery, Business Development, Free Pint Remember, to read this summary with activated hyperlinks visit ... Free Pint this time last year ... * Free Pint No.33 4th March 1999 "12 Offline Ways of Promoting Your URL" and "Data Privacy Web Sites" http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/040399.htm Free Pint two years ago ... * Free Pint No.9, 5th March 1998 "But what is it good for?" (integrating the Web into your life) and "Market Research Information On The Internet" http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/050398.htm > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bar: Do you have a research question or Web-related comment? It's easy to post a message at Digest: To have the latest Free Pint Bar postings sent to you every other day, send a blank email to Archive: Dormant postings older than 45 days are moved to Email: To write to the Free Pint team, please send your email to > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> COULD YOU LINK TO FREE PINT FROM YOUR SITE? <<< It would be great if you could show your support by linking to the Free Pint Web site It's really easy, simply by using the HTML code at http://www.freepint.co.uk/linktous.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FORTHCOMING EVENTS http://www.freepint.co.uk/events It's going to be a busy seven days around the Ides of March if you want to catch up on all that's happening in the information world. Our very own William Hann is talking about targeting customers on the Web at the British Library's "E-Commerce for the smaller business" conference in London in a couple of weeks. Don't forget he'll also be presenting at the "Third Generation Web" conference at the Royal Society of Arts next week. Over on the continent, EUSIDIC have their "Spring Meeting" in Lille, Belgium, and the "Digitizing Journals: Conference on future strategies for European libraries" is being held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Nipping across the Atlantic, the "InfoSoft Summit" is coming soon to San Diego and "Computers in Libraries 2000" to Washington DC. If you're up for more, then make a note in your diary for the following week when you could attend the "Internet Librarian International" conference featuring the "Libtech 2000" exhibition in London (alongside the London Bookfair), and the "iB2B Conference" organised by The Industry Standard in Boca Raton, Florida. Full details of these and over 30 other forthcoming conferences and exhibitions in the online-information and Internet industry can be found on the Free Pint Events page at http://www.freepint.co.uk/events > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> LOOK DOWN ON THE FREE PINT WEB SITE ... AS IT WERE <<< You will find a graphical site map and list of frequently asked questions at http://www.freepint.co.uk/help.htm > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES * Corporate Web sites * Knowledge Management * Legal information * * Middle Eastern information * Museum sites * Portals * Weddings * * Researching for TV * Sites for small and medium enterprises * [Provisional] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = We really hope you've got a lot out of this issue of Free Pint. If you'd like to chat about anything with us then don't hesitate to get in touch. 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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 Lesley Robinson BA MBA, Business Development e: lesley@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)20 8871 4284 f: +44 (0)20 8875 9165 Simon Collery BA, Business Development e: simon@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1865 434143 f: +44 (0)1784 455436 Jane, Administrator e: jane@freepint.co.uk 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. 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