| Vol. I,
No. 1 |
Oct.
20th, 2000 |
Links to House & Home On-Line
The amount of info on the web
is enormous, as anyone who's ever tried to run a search can attest
to. And, to put it all in context, best estimates say that
only a fraction, maybe 20 - 40 % of what's out there is actually
making its way to the search engines.
Well ...
Here at DownStreet, we'd like to try to
help. So each issue, we post a few links in House & Home
to sites that might interest you. Sometimes the links will
be related to one another ... sometimes we'll just
offer up a somewhat random sampling. In either case, we
think we might be able to help you find the kind of site you've
been looking for.
Of course, while we can't vouch for the fact
that every link we provide will be of interest to everyone, we do
our best to filter out the noise and the bustle. ...
We hope you enjoy the following sites as much
as we do..
A Few Web Sites for Weekend
Warriors
-
This Old House
-- Online Home Page
TOH seemed like a natural to include in our first issue of
links to House & Home sites on the web. During our
explorations there, we found some useful stuff, plus, the site
was both easy to navigate and ... fast {even faster than
the TOH team seems to finish their projects ... in the space of
a show or few}. ...
TOH -- which is a sub-domain of PBS's WGBH web out of Boston --
invites you to "Explore TOH Projects," "Ask This
Old House" staff questions, and also offers "Tools,
Tips and Techniques" for your renovation project. You
can also "Find the products, suppliers and services used in
the show," or "Go behind the scenes with the TV
team." But by far, the most interesting feature was the
"Home Renovators' Forum," which allows you to
"exchange ideas with other do-it-yourselfers."
In addition, TOH also invites you to enter the "You Old
House Contest." Of course, there's also the
obligatory Store, where you can buy, not tools or supplies, but
{ready?} Clothing, Caps, Videos, Books, Mugs, Software, or the
TOH Magazine.
.
The TOH site is definitely focused on their renovation
projects. But it's definitely worth a visit. Rating:
**** [4 stars]
.
-
Hometime:
Home Improvement, Remodeling and Repair
The Hometime site is more generally useful, but it's also
slower than TOH. {Too bad.} It's well organized and
functions on a main navigation structure that lets you select
your interest from three pick-lists: Quick Project Help,
Find a Past Show, or Shop Hometime.
We decided to take a quick peek at Quick Project Help:
Basements. The results? A solid basic overview of
the task at hand. A How-to Information section that
addressed Lower Level Planning, Plumbing & Fixtures, Framing
Veneer Plaster Walls, Lighting, Finishing Details, and Fun
Extras. In addition, we were also offered project-specific
Books {Basement Books}, Instructional Videos {Remodeling and
Renovation Workshop}, Manufacturers {Insulation,
Masonry/Foundation, andMechanical Systems}, and a Users Forum
that included both Current and Archived Messages. Finally,
we were also presented with ImproveNet's listings that enable
users to Find a Contractor, Find a Designer, or Find an
Architect.
.
Hometime may not be the answer all your questions. But if
you've got a project brewing, you can probably save yourself
some time and energy by checking this site out first.
Rating: ****1/2 [4-1/2 stars]
.
-
This to That (Glue Advice)
Our last site is as simple and straightforward as its reason
for being, viz., Because people have a need to glue things to
other things.
This to That is, as the title of the page says, "Glue
advice." This is definitely not a site that's out to
be everything to everyone. It does just one thing.
But it does it incredibly well, and it's about as easy to use as
it can be. In fact, it doesn't get any easier than this.
... You're presented with two pick-lists that read Attach
(This) to (That). Inside the parentheses are two
identical pick lists which include: Ceramic, Fabric,
Glass, Leather, Metal, Paper, Plastic, Rubber, Styrofoam, Vinyl,
and Wood. That's it. Just pick your two items, and
voilá, This to That will tell you its recommended products,
other options, and also give you some prep and other tips.
.
In addition to the This to That tool, the site also offers glue Trivia, Philosophy,
a statement about impartiality, Links & FAQ pages, a Glue o'
the Month, a Feedback form, and an edition en français for our
neighbors to the North. You've got to love the
single-minded focus and usefulness of this site.
Rating: ***** [5 stars]
*******
*******
If you know of any links that you think are
worthwhile, why not send them along to ...
links@downstreetmagazine.com
...
If we agree, we'll be happy to include them
in an upcoming issue to pass the word along. ...
Thanks.
*******
*******
.
|
