www.ggower.com/fans
The creators of Obsessive Fan Sites have a theory – that it’s not hackers or junk mail that’s clogging up the networks, it’s the thousands of pathetic fans that visit these
feeble sites, downloading every Backstreet Boys pic one by one. In fact these fellows have such
contempt for fan sites that they have painstakingly listed dozens of them, and every few weeks, give out awards to the most excessive, embarrassing fan sites on the web. A fascinating and cringe-making glimpse into the disturbing minds of the obsessed. And, from the makers of Obsessive Fan Sites, an impressive display of withering sarcasm.
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SIX OF THE BEST
www.jungle.com
One of the most impressive shopping sites on the web, the lively Jungle.com has made its name selling computer products, but there’s a lot more to it than that. An impressive selection of CDs, videos and DVDs jostles for space in the racks, and it’s worth checking the special offers daily. Delivery is free, too. link »»
www.imdb.com
We reckon it might just be time to chuck away our dog-eared copy of Halliwell’s Film Guide. As well as the database of more than 170,000 movie reviews, the International Movie Database offers the cross-referencing and search tools that computers do so much better than books.
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www.dotmusic.com
It dubs itself "the insider’s guide to music" and, indeed, Dotmusic is hot on pop gossip. No attempt to be hipper than thou, either. Stories on Richard Ashcroft, Glastonbury and Robbie Williams democratically rub shoulders with a piece on superannuated Gallic electro-bore Jean-Michel Jarre. We're all ears! link »»
www.exploratorium.com
This is the online spin-off from San Francisco's museum of science, art and human perception. The curatorial team have really bent their brains around making this work online – the use of multimedia to bring the earthquake section to life made us feel quite queasy. Hold on to your hats. link »»
www.gbgonline.com
You’d be much better off with a good book than straining your eyes trying to read that internet thingy. This super site combines punchily written and authoritative reviews with special offers on new titles. You can get involved, too, subscribing to the weekly newsletter, plus regular competitions and prize draws.
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www.cooking.com
We don’t know about you, but our bookshelves creak with the collected works of Delia et al yet we never seem to get beyond our five basic recipes (Step 1: take your can opener...). Get some inspiration from this tasty site, with frequently changing recipes, and a searchable database for your favourite ingredients. link »»
SITE SELECTION
Let’s get moving
Let's be honest – we all hate estate agents don't we? So when websites start promising to do all the spadework on your big move and not charge you an arm and a leg for doing so, you have to pay attention. No greasy phonecalls from over-friendly profiteers to worry about – just you and your browser
www.ukpg.co.uk
Not enough people advertise their properties because too few people look online; not enough people look online because... Here’s a site that looks like addressing that Catch 22. Click here for more than 40,000 British
properties, 800,000 property files viewed each month, plus some first-rate editorial content.
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www.houseweb.co.uk
Or "your complete resource for buying, selling or moving house". We still have our doubts about virtual tours of your prospective purchase – there can never be a substitute for visiting a property yourself – but Housweb covers every other base, from advertising, searching, mortgages, conveyance and organising the move itself.
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www.houseabout.com
"Number One UK home sub portal" isn’t the snappiest advertising catchline we've ever come across, but the site is first rate. Save time and effort by dipping into the list of hundreds of UK property sites that Houseabout has thoughtfully compiled. Work out how much it's all going to cost with their mortgage calculator, and catch up on happenings in the market with the news pages.
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www.assertahome.com
Now regularly seen advertised on a TV near you, Asserta obviously has some big bucks behind it. It comes with the all-important database of properties, updated every day, and is clearly and simply laid out. Moving home is, apparently, one of the big three stress-makers in our lives, up there with bereavement and divorce, so thumbs up to anyone who makes the job easier.
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