Issue 1 - March 1996

For this first article, I'm going to give you a guided tour of sites devoted to things of student interest. Movies, dark, deep stuff, music and beer - they're all here.

Fans of the Alien films will be in hog's heaven at the Alien Legacy webpage. There is even material related to the aforementioned fourth film contained here. Even a piece of script for you to read and make yourself sound really knowledgeable in front of your friends. And if you are fond of the design and artwork that went into the movies, then look no further than the Official H.R. Giger webpage. Fabulous.

For the ultimate in movie trivia, go to the Internet Movie Database, where you can access details on any flick of your desire. There is also the movie mag Empire, which goes one better on their paper based version by having weekly editions, and excellent up to date news coverage.

Edward D Wood, the director of infamously bad movies such as Plan 9 from Outer Space, has been enjoying a cult revival of late, thanks to the film Ed Wood, directed by Tim Burton in 1995. A website has now been devoted to him, so you can sample his filmography, have access to pictures and sounds related to him and his work.

Now I've had to mention these two pages, which worship four of MTV's greatest exports, Ren and Stimpy and Beavis and Butthead need no introduction, suffice to say that these sites are very good, and contain loads of pictures and information from the series.

Silicon Graphics. A name perhaps not well known to most of you out there, but their computers have been responsible for some of the most stunning visual effects in recent years, their latest example [at the time of writing] being the surreal, but enjoyable Robin Williams starrer Jumanji. Grafica Obscura is the result of one employee paying homage to graphics and imagery produced by the company.

One of the most unique sites [a daring statement to make, considering the possibilities on the Internet!] that you will find in cyberspace is for the UK based soft drink Tango. This site is constantly evolving, and is as bizarre as the tv adverts. Well worth a visit.

Onto music now. I came across the Ministry of Sound site, which is as excellent as the famous London venue. Then there is Britain's premier band Oasis [I don't know what to think of them now!] who have an official page, which gives details of up and coming tour dates, plus a discography; rather strange considering they have only done two albums! [a third is due out this year]

Now, we go into the dark, gothic side of the Internet. If you are looking for the deep and disturbing underworld of gothic cyberspace, then the appropriately named Dark Side of the Web is just the thing for you.

Viz magazine has become one of the cornerstones of British culture, whether you like it or not. The filthy but funny comic now ventures onto the Net in a way that only they can muster. Anyone who is easily offended should avoid coming here!

Amsterdam is known as the Venice of the North, as well as certain other things involving the colour red (and I'm not talking about tulips here) and lovely aromas (and I'm not talking about their coffee either!). It is very cheap to go there, but if you are really low on the pennies, then there is always the city's own website, Clix to guide you through it's sites, sounds and er, smells.

One of the largest sites in the UK, is FutureNet. Once you have registered your name and password, you will be able to access the on-line sites of Future Publishing's many magazines, as well as information you can think of - it's that big.

In case you hadn't noticed, some of our best newspapers have been busy devising their own websites. One of the first to make it in Britain was The Guardian, followed by the Daily Telegraph, and The Times. All the sites are updated daily, like newspapers should. The Times site is a bit unwieldy though. Time Out magazine is also worth a read. But, like FutureNet, all the aforementioned sites require you to register your name and address before being allowed access. At least it doesn't cost you any money.

Now onto beer. Grab a Guinness, make yourself at home, and have a fireside chat, among other things, at theVirtual Irish Pub. Take in the Glasgow Pub Guide, and the London Pub Guide. These last two sites are at universities, uncannily enough. However, if you are more into wine than beer, then the World Wide Wine Net will be more to your liking.

And finally, a website of absolutely no practical value whatsoever. The title, Foam Bath Fish Time says it all really. There are many more of this quality, but I won't waste space by giving them to you.

© Stephen Scott February/March 1996 [tweaked February/August 1997/April 2000]

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