Amiga Computing - Commodore Is Awesome

know I've argued about this before,
but 'Net usage is expensive. A lot of
stupid companies who don't pay for
their phone bills are rushing onto the Net with
Web sites and inviting us to send our cash
down the phone to pay for goods and services.
No way! Think about It. These admittedly
brilliant sites I've mentioned here can cost you
a couple of quid to visit even if you visit them
at off-peak times It's a pricey business, even
with all the good deals that phone companies
are flinging your way these days to get your
money.
Obviously, faster modems would be a
bonus, and for frequent Net access, or if you
are a 'Net hack like me, then a 28,800 baud or
even ISDN is a definite good idea. Okay, so you
shell out mote initially, but the savings in 'Net
time are enormous. You have to be very careful
when you get fast Net access though. because
Ft might mean you spend a bit longer online
than you should, and you just download
bigger files IIt's a bit hke real life where your
expenditure expands to fill and even exceed
the available budget)
So to help you enjoy your 'Net life more and
• avoid those scary phone bills, here is my livepoint
plan for more efficient Netting •
WorldCam
http //www.ovd corn
One of the most interesting things
about the Net is its Netearns, that
is to say video cameras which
relay almost live into from their
location to you via the Web The
most impressive collection of
these cams is WorldCam.
WorldCam has also compiled a list
of the best Cams from around
the world, including The
Fakon Cam at Calgary
University. The Incredible FrshCam
la fish tank). FogCam and the
amazing wearable WebCam - a
camera attached to someone who
has a wearable Net-based
computer so you see what they
are doing
Batman Forever
http.//vvviAiv batmanforevercom/
The web site for the new Batman
film, out now, and very tab it is
too The site has pictures, sounds
pre via Real Audio if you have a
PC-based 'Net program running
On your Empl,mtl and moms for
you to watch. It also has some
very nice Knot. tricks, like
animated logos.
lief
net 1055
-
I. Get the fastest modem you can buy, beg or
steal. The more rapid transfer rate between you
and the host machine will mean faster access to
p Z. On-line so much people can't get you on the
phone? Get another phone line for your 'Net
access or better yet, get a beeper like the one I
have the Mototota Lifestyle Plus It costs E80
r
and after that there is no charge. People pay
just 20p a time when they dial up a premium
rate line and tap in their phone number. It's cool
gadget too, and makes people on trains think
you are a doctor.
3. Use a stopwatch. When you log on start the
timer and keep looking at it Try to limit your
oNet
watch
MGM/UA Lion's Den
the Internet. especially useful for graphicsintensive
Web sites,
hap riwww mgmua torn/MGM/I
rhclex hrrrif
fi
t, -
1)-a
Erf _rainkow4§1,1-.1- ---J
The MGM/United Mists home
page. with details of all their
recent filmage For example
Goldeneye, the new Bond Film,
At the time of writing there
weren't any pictures. but there
was a sneak preview. Presumably
this is because the film is in
production and it needs more
doing to it before you can really
get a look at any sets Of anything.
Nso, there are details about
Species, which rs a new spooky
film with bags of special effects
about a new type of human.
which of course goes haywire
and kills everyone, in the grand
old tradition. There's also lots of
stuff on the new Tank Girl movie.
starring Lon Petty
Sony Pictures Entertainment
linine Page
nup://wspesonyconVPicume
s/index.hlmi
Access to Sony's Entertamment
network, including their movies
through Sony Pictures. All the
upcomong features are here like the
excellent The Net' Ono relation to
the awful BBC series' stamng
Sandra Bullodc the most excellent
*Johnny Mnenioi stamng Keanu
Evil Ted' Reeves, and other
bonuses kke 'First Knight' with Sean
Connery and Richard Gere. Oh,
not forgetting Julia Ormond... ooh,
how could I forget
Buena Vista MoviePtex
http://www.disneycom/
The very graphics-heavy Buena
Vista Pictures site has now moved
to the Disney site, It used to be
Out On as own but it's been
browsing to half an hour a day, especially if
you're logging on before 6pm.
4. Save frequently_ Save the text of pages if
there's a lot to read, either as text or HTML. Read
offline as often as possible. It's easy to forget
you are connected to the phone when you are
reading something interesting.
S. Do what you've got to do and get out of
there Its easy to roam around the Web when
you are bored, and it's just as easy to not really
have any aim in mind. The Web rs a tool, and
okay, its quite good fun too, but it should be
used carefully. So don't just wander around the
Net burning up cash. Look for something, find
note any interesting LIRLs on the way, but get
out quick.
absorbed into the controlling
company's Web activity. All you
need to know about the new 13V
releases, including the new Judge
Dredd picture with Sylvester
Stallone.
Paramount Pkttwes
hftp:/ANwwparamount corn/
At the Paramount site you can get
a preview of scenes from Michael
Crichton's new film Congo, Mel
Gibson as Braveheart and sneaky
previews of the new Star Trek'
Voyager TV series (corning soon to
a video store near you.)
MCA/Universal Cybeswalk
http://www.mca_comi
The MCA/Universal site was one of
the first movie companies on the
Web, and it shows by its slick
presentation. The site has previews
of Tom Hanks in Apollo 13, the
$200 milhon Kevin Costner film
Waterworld, and also Sptelberg's
Casper. the friendly ghost
Amiga Computing
OCTOBER 1995