PCmuseum - Imagine a world without the personal computer. Tough isn't it. In fact, the likelihood of your reading this review on anything but a computer is rather remote. But, there was a time and there are still places (one tent in Outer Mongolia, and that greasy spoon off the M1) that don't yet have at least one computer. The PCmuseum provides a nostalgic look at the evolution of the computer as we know it from the first abacus used in 2000BC by way of Wilhelm Schickard's calculating clock and Charles Babbage's difference engine. It was 1964 that the first computer to use integrated circuits was devised and a 1971 advert in Scientific American heralded probably the world's first personal computer the Kenbak-1. It had 256 bytes of memory. The machine on your desktop might have a million times as much or even more memory. Of course, your PC is probably more prone to crashing, especially if the history of a certain glazing-based operating system is anything to go by. PCMuseum is run by Canadian Daniel Lessard, and although it is difficult to discern his credentials, Lessard has nevertheless created a decent site that summarises with some "ancient" photos the history of computing. Rating: 7 out of 10 (16 November 2002) DB
http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/reach/435/
Wearable Computing - Always the next big thing, but not quite yet managing the leap into everyday, wearable computers still seem to be stuck firmly in the realms of science fiction. However, Steve Mann, regarded as the inventor of the wearable computer, and the author of this site, is making a creditable attempt at educating his students and the public into the benefits of the technology. From the very basics to the more advanced concepts, and the practical engineering skills needed, this site seems to cover it all. Wearable computing is demystified and succinctly explained in terms of the key concepts of mediated/augmented reality, BlindVision, MEDIWEAR and ENGwear. The site also offers news, how to articles, reviews, sociological and philosophical treatises as well as numerous links to further sources. Text based and cross browser compatible this is an information rich environment that is both comprehensive and well written. Useful, accessible and generous in its scope this site makes all those science fiction dreams seem that much closer to reality. Bring on the Borg. Rating 10 out of 10 (21 October 2002) ALD
http://about.eyetap.org/
The Ada Project - Looking for a resource that will encourage your daughters or female students to pursue a career in technology? Are you a female computer scientist looking for a cadre of professional support? Since 1994, The Ada Site has been compiling resources for women in technology as part of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) Committee on Women in Computing's mission to encourage women into technology careers. Resources include conferences, employment lists, fellowships, awards, projects and publications that seek to improve the working environment for women in computing. Named for Lady Ada Lovelace, the site is maintained by volunteers and encourages visitors to suggest new links. With the current decline in women entering computer science programs around the world, this site provides an invaluable resource for supporting these women and encouraging young women to consider computer science as a career. (17 November 2001) CK
http://tap.mills.edu/
Computer Science Student Support Site - Every student studying computer science needs a collection of professional resources to keep information at her fingertips. While slanted towards the student, this collection of documents and links forms the foundation for a professional library that can grow over time. Many of the items were written by the web site developer, William Stallings, and are available for downloading as PDF files, including number systems, trigonometry and calculus formulae, queuing analysis. Other resources cover data structures, conversion factors, writing guidelines, professional organization websites, and a collection of computer science bibliographies that is updated monthly. If you are a student, this site will save you hours of research, and if you are a working professional, you may discover a wealth of additional resources. Well organized with brief annotations, this site provides easy access to valuable resources. (9 November 2001) CK
http://WilliamStallings.com/StudentSupport.html
Computer and Communication - The main purpose of this site is to provide an index of information, rather than original content. However, unlike other general index sites, the site is focused on a specific theme - computers and communications. It offers a reasonably comprehensive web technology directory that is well cross-referenced and interlinked. The majority of the many commercial and corporate sites listed here are US-based, although one can work their way from here across the word. The search tools offered are useful and searches can be based on geography or "standard terms". Created by Webstart (an organisation specialising web content and advertising) this site is a technology resource more than of scientific interest. Regarding this, I experienced some confusion upon entering the site, since what exactly is being offered is perhaps not completely clear. The site also appears somewhat dated and perhaps not as stylish as the more modern index sites such as "Yahoo!". It a very information rich site and this draws attention to the need for a more clear navigation method. The key advantage of the Computer and Communication Site is that it is a unique offering - dedicated to one subject area. (3 November 2001) DM
http://www.cmpcmm.com/cc/
SimScience - This American educational site, aimed at high school and university students, specialises in various fields where the ability to simulate and model aspects of the real world using computers has enabled greater understanding, and facilitated safer and more economical design. It covers four main topics, namely membranes, fluid flow, cracking dams, and crackling noises. In case you are wondering, the last topic is about the sorts of random noises that accompany earthquakes, for example, and you can hear some examples on the site. Each topic is covered at three levels, from very basic with very simple text and no maths at all, to very advanced, with highly detailed technical information and lots of maths. Besides being of considerable educational value, by virtue of the breadth and depth of the coverage, the site is also of general interest and includes such fascinating topics as why the dimples in a golf ball are of benefit. For fans of old British films, it also includes a short snippet from The Dambusters. An excellent site. (14 September 2001) MDH
http://simscience.org/
Music Mind Machine - A research group at a Dutch university have prepared this site about their work in the computational modelling of music cognition, particularly rhythm, timing and tempo. It is not a very easy site to navigate because the windows are split into sections which tend to overlap just at the crucial place and, hence, require a lot of scrolling and resizing. There are complicated examples of analysis of rhythm, including sound, together with highly detailed papers that can be downloaded. However, the subject, which is something of a cross between musicology, psychology and computer science, is rather specialized. There is a section for downloading software but this appeared to be mostly under construction, apart from one program which was specifically stated as only being for Macintosh computers. In fact, the site makes a point of mentioning that the members of the group only use such computers. If you are a Macintosh person and interested in this field, it would be worth having a look at this site. (17 August 2001) MDH
http://www.nici.kun.nl/mmm/
