I stumbled upon this website using Firefox’s StumbleUpon extension. This site seems to just be one big help tool for research. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing though as the site is very useful.
Along the top of the page, you have links to the various categories that the site is divided into. I’ve never really read an almanac before so I didn’t really know what to expect. As it turns out, it just seems to be a list of statistics such as the top 10 videogames of 2005. I find that sort of stuff interesting so I had a browse around there and found a couple of interesting things. For example, did you know that the number of houselholds with computers in the US has risen by almost 20% from 1998 to 2003? That sort of information could provide some filler for all those dull conversations you have with people you don’t talk to much.
Now, along the side of the page, you have things such as ‘Editor’s Picks’, a list of tools provided by the site and links to subscribe to RSS feeds. One of the picks that I found interesting was The Meaning And Origins of Names. You can find out how US States were named, the origins of the days of the week and even find out the names of the Pokemon in Japanese. This site is defnitely worth a look at and perhaps even bookmarking if you are still at school or University.
Inevitably, not every site is perfect. This one has huge spaces at the top and right hand sides. Both are about an inch big. This could just be Firefox blocking the adverts but those extra inches could make a big difference. On the homepage, I scroll down that inch and I find that the site has a daily fact and it’s own crossword taken from the LA Times as well as a feature on Looking For Mr/Ms. Right. For some people, that could be the difference from clicking away and staying on the site. FInally, the ‘Help’ link is perhaps in the worst place it could be – Right at the bottom left corner of the page so unless you know some sneaky tricks to find it quickly then it could be a bit hard to find.
In conclusion, this site is definitely a great one in terms of referencing material for projects and such but for functionality, it isn’t exactly the best out there. I think that there are certainly better sites out there but this one shouldn’t be over looked.
Written by Adam @ http://www.sitereviewer.net – Visit us for more reviews.
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