BEST OF THE WEB
 Suck |
With a name like Suck, you know it's got to be good.
The Web is littered with e-zines with funny names produced by cynical young men and women who think they have something to say about the sorry stat
e of the world and, more importantly, themselves. Suck is one of them. They all have attitude to spare, but attitude is cheap. What separates Suck from the rest is style and an ever-so-subtly self-deprecating sense of humor.
The Suck creators, who have kept their day jobs at HotWired (see below), update the e-zine every weekday, apparently with whatever comes to mind or with whatever stories one of their many friends have donated. It's always a hoot, and often has links to other neat sites.
The design of Suck runs counter to what most people would consider wise site layout. Each installment runs in one narrow, long column, requiring a fair amount of scrolling. It works, though, because this format makes the text much easier to read.
Think you've got something to tell the world? Check out Suck to see how it's done.
 Euphony |
One of the more beautiful sites on the Web, Euphony bills itself as "Canada's premier arts and entertainment Net site." It would be a winner in any country. Updated weekly, Euphony features reviews and stories about movies, music, and
clubs. You also get movie and event schedules, but only for the Vancouver, BC, area. A classifieds section lets you place ads of all types, including personals, for free.
The writing is top-notch, as is the design. Each page has its own navigational icons so you never get lost. The longer features are well illustrated. This slows display time somewhat, but the wait is worth it. Other regional arts and entertainment site s would do well to mimic Euphony.
 Spank! |
Spank! claims to be the world's first youth lifestyle magazine on the Web. I can't vouch for that, but it is undoubtedly the best of the breed. This monthly publication does a great job of speaking to its teenage audience. Interesting ly, it also tries to expand the horizons of young people. For example, one article talked about the late Canadian author, Robertson Davies.
The Spank! editors go the extra mile to get their readers involved. They can submit pictures of themselves for posting on the Internet,
or send in stories and photos for possible publication. E-mail with staff and writers is also encouraged.
The site's design is nothing fancy, although the Spank! logo is cool. It will get you where you want to go with minimal fuss, however. Aside from an obsession with the exclamation point, there is little to complain about Spank!.
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| 4. The Nando Times |
News junkies, rejoice! The Nando Times posts daily news stories in major categories such as politics, nation, world, sports, and business. The articles are thorrough and easy to read, but the site provides no photos or illustrations. All are profession ally done and, best of all, free.
| 4.(tie) Women's Wire |
You might think of Women's Wire as an electronic version of Glamour magazine. It has stories on health, lifestyles, fashion, and business. You can post questions to experts on a variety of topics. This site is stylish and professional.
| 6. HyperZine |
A resource for electronic publishing, HyperZine is a goldmine of resources on photography, video, and digital imaging. You get product reviews, tips, and the latest product news. You must register for complete access to the site, but it is free.
| 7. SalesDoctors |
Sales professionals will find tips and inspirational messages at this site. SalesDoctors looks good, is easy to navigate, and is well-written. The editors and writers are obviously seasoned sales veterans. Having trouble closing that sale? You'll find an edge here.
| 8. The Calgary Explorer |
I'd never given much thought to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, until visiting this monthly e-zine. Now it's on my list of places to see someday. The features about the region and things to do there are well written, and the site itself is pleasing to the ey e. My favorite item here is the Canuck Site of the Day.
| 9. The Bingo Bugle Newspaper |
An e-zine about bingo? Stranger things have happened. The Bingo Bugle Newspaper is slickly produced, easy to navigates, and speaks to the heart of the bingo-playing community. You get first-hand accounts, news, schedules, and more.
| 10. Dive Destinations.em |
This site is almost as beautiful as the exotic scuba-diving locations it describes. Dive Destinations.em is part travel guide, part resource for diving enthusiasts. Veteran print publishing professionals created this site, and their experience shows.
| 10.(tie) Mac Net Journal 2 |
Technically inclined Mac users will find great how-to articles, cool links, shareware reviews, and more at this site. Graphics make the site slow, but you can opt for a text-only mode.
| 12. A Breed Apart |
A Breed Apart is a gathering hole for people who adore greyhound dogs. It posts stories and news, and it links to other related sites. It is clearly a labor of love, and the small community it serves is better for it.
| 13. America's 4x4 4U Video Magazine |
In my neck of the woods, four-wheelin' is a very popular sport. You spend about $20,000 on a shiny new 4x4 pickup and then drive it through the mud at unsafe speeds. If this sounds like fun, this well-designed e-zine has all the information and resourc es you needÑstories, parts sources, technical help, and show schedules.
| 13.(tie) Late Show News |
Want the latest gossip on the Letterman-Leno wars? Need to know why TV Nation got axed? You'll find that information and more insider rumors at this constantly updated site.
| 15. Lou Bignami's Fine Fishing Magazine |
Lou takes his fishing seriously, and his Web site is the better for it. You'll find stories about "the big one," the lowdown on top fishing locations around the world, fishing records, and many links.
| 16. Web Review |
Web Review covers lifestyle and political issues about the Internet. You get the latest news, commentary, and stories on the latest Web innovations. The site itself is quick to incorporate new stuff such as Real Audio and Netscape Navigator 2.0 feature s.
| 16.(tie) NCT Web Magazine |
Aimed mainly at Web developers, NCT Web Magazine offers reviews and news of relevant products. The site's creators like to experiment with new development tools and design concepts, so this is a good place to go for ideas.
| 18. The American Prospect |
Subtitled "The Journal for the Liberal Imagination," The American Prospect offers commentary from its print version on politics and culture.
| 19. Computer-Mediated Communications Magazine |
Computer-mediated communications (CMI) covers, among other things, the use of e-mail and online conferencing. John December's e-zine offers thoughtful and thorough articles on the topic. Anyone with a casual interest in the topic might find the article s a little too technical, however.
| 20. Seidman's Online Insider |
Not much that happens in the online ether gets by Mr. Seidman. He has the latest news updated every week with a healthy dose of opinion. I don't know how he manages to do it and hold down a day job, too.
| 21. The Comics Page |
Yes, youÕll find comics at The Comics Page, but the main purpose of the site is to provide comics news and rumors. You also get synopses of comics series such as the X-Men, and information on trading cards.The editors also provide a bit of opini on and encourage reader correspondence.
| 21.(tie) Fine Travel Magazine |
Produced by the same folks who brought you Lou Bignami's Fine Fishing Magazine (above), Fine Travel does justice to the great travel spots it covers. It is beautifully produced with great photos and good writing about fun places around the world.
| 21.(tie) HotWired |
The popular HotWired e-zine covers lifestyle, technology, and pop culture. It is a sister publication to Wired magazine, not an electronic copy of it. HotWired's design is good, and its writing is top-notch. Some of the columns are entertaining because of their spunk and attitude. You also will find links to other sites, but some would find a few of them offensive. Because it tries to cover so much ground, however, HotWired has short depth in most areas. It is free, but the registration routine is a pa in in the arse.
| 24. Tokyo Q |
Planning a trip to Tokyo? Log on to Tokyo Q before you leave. With the event listings, stories on things to do, and reviews, you can plan your entertainment for the entire stay. The site is very professionally done.
| 25. C|Net |
C|Net is a beautifully produced e-zine that covers computing. You get reviews, interesting columnists, news, browser bookmarks, and a great shareware library. The articles could provide a bit more depth, but you will enjoy the time you spend at C|Net. Like HotWired, it is free but insists on putting you through an annoying registration routine where you must send verification within a certain period of time.
| 25.(tie) Outside Online |
This is the electronic version of Outside magazine. The editors have not just ported print material over to the Web, but have created unique content such as news briefs on outdoor sports and recreation. They've also posted advice articles that let you select questions that you want answered on a given topic, such as skiing moguls.
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