The first two web columns I wrote dealt with such things. In the first, I talked about Learn2.com, which was a site that provided tutorials concerning all sorts of real-life things, like understanding basketball, watering the lawn, and driving a stick shift. This site can now be accessed at www.tutorials.com, but the emphasis has now shifted to pay courses in practical, mostly computer-oriented skills. I think the old tutorials are available, but now you have to become a member, which I chose not to do.
The second column was about the Internet Movie Database, us.imdb.com, perhaps the site that I have used most often throughout my time on the web. Actually, I used it a few minutes ago to find out what actor Frank Gorshin is doing these days (he's still working!).
These solutions are based on information. The key to our expanding opportunities is in the growing number of databases that are available on the web. Some things that couldn't be done easily in the past can now be done on the web. Here's an interesting, if not very practical, example: I once wondered if John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart ever acted together. I thought it unlikely, but it wasn't impossible. Before movie databases, you would have to do cross-referencing of all the movies both ever made: a daunting task, even if you could find the lists. Now, you can do it with a few keystrokes and a few clicks. This is admittedly trivia, but such powerful capabilities can also be harnessed for more important tasks, like matching jobs and job candidates.
I mentioned a site a few columns back; Technocopia at technocopia.com. It is similar to what Learn2 was once like, but with a more limited scope. The site theme is, logically enough, coping with technology. As I pointed out a few issues back, I wanted to record old records to CDs and had figured out the basics already, but when I visited Technocopia, I found an article that would have helped me avoid some trial and error and also added some polish to what I'd come up with.
You can find reviews of high-tech products there, along with a lot of basic information on technical topics. Home automation is especially well covered; one of the articles is titled "Living Like the Jetsons". There is a section on Pet Tech which, among other things, spills the poop on automated litter boxes, microchip IDs for pets and waterless shampoo. Do you want to set up a gaming LAN or a Linux home network? There are articles to help.
There are five major categories in Technocopia: Your Home, Your Work, Your Play, Your Life and Your Future, with several subcategories under each. There aren't a huge number of articles yet, but they are growing. It can be hard to find articles that you know are there. I would imagine a search engine is coming. They answer questions, so if you have a techie question, you might want to drop in. One observation I would make is that the site is a bit advanced for the average person, but you're hardly the average person, are you? Seriously, I expect that sites like this will catalyze interest in what are now obscure topics. If you aren't knowledgable about Mindstorm robots or PC power protection, you might read an article and develop an interest.
While I'm ok when it comes to using a checkbook, I find that the monthly statements and paying bills by mail are both not much fun. There wasn't much I could do about it, short of delegating the tasks, which isn't exactly solving the problem. The web now offers help. On-line banking has been around in various forms for many years, but web-based banking may finally bring bank access from home into common usage. I signed up with my bank a few months ago and really liked it, but there are problems. One is cost: I bank with National City. Originally, perhaps a year ago, they wanted to charge for all on-line banking. Paying money for this service was not for me, so I passed. About the middle of this year, they removed the fee for most things and offered a free three month trial of their on-line bill paying service, so I signed up. My three months ran out a few weeks ago and I cancelled the bill paying service, which currently costs $5.95 per month (for up to 10 bills). I really liked it but in a typical month, I would use it for one or two bills. It was great for the month when I had quite a few one-time bills to pay; a couple of keystrokes and clicks and the job was done. My regular bills are paid by free automatic payments, so spending $5.95 for an admittedly convenient and friendly system was too much. I've asked if they had a per-item charge without the basic charge (somewhere between 50 and 75 cents sounds reasonable), but they don't. Perhaps they soon will. Other banks offer this service more cheaply, so you might be better off than me.
CATBAR - Brain Candy #41 - Online Solutions / Brian Rock / Jan 1 2001