COMPUTER HARDWARE

 


Apple

http://www.apple.com
This site offers a plethora of information and resources; everything from Apple's press releases through to current product information, technical support and developer data, together with links to other Internet sites that hold Apple-related information.
Top of Page |

The Amiga Hotlist

http://www.almac.co.uk/personal/bono/
Welcome to the would-be oracle for all things Amiga in Scotland. This is written on, for and by Amiga aficianados and is still under construction. There's a link to the ibrowse site so that users can download the Amiga-based browser, and another link for the T in the Park music festival.But aside from that there's not much to shout about - oracle status is far from assured.
Top of Page |

StarScreen

http://www.netcenter.com/starscreen/star3.html
Quick, get ahead of your competitors with this plug-in telephone, fax, telephone answering machine, credit card transaction machine, speakerphone and computer terminal for accessing the Internet. If this reads like an ad then you've got a good idea what this site is about.
Top of Page |

Intel

http://www.intel.com/
Much has been made of Microsoft's dominance of PC operating systems, but little has been said about Intel's grip on the PC processing market. Yet Intel alone provides the power that enables PCs to run graphically rich environments such as Windows '95 and Netscape . As you would expect from such a key player, its Web site is packed with information and advice. Intel proves its international credentials by providing pages in several languages, including German, Korean and Chinese. The site is strong on news; all the company's press releases are available or, if you prefer, a personalised news service lets you receive information tailored to your needs and interests. Despite containing highly technical information, the pages are clearly written and help is never far away when explanations move into computer speak. This URL also illustrates the power of a Pentium processor by providing demonstrations of 3D VR (virtual reality) software. These include a virtual reality Stonehenge, and for once there are clear instructions on how to configure the required software tools. For PC users this site is a must, even if it does insist that the 133 Pentium you bought last week is out of date. Mac users are advised to have a bucket at the ready before they visit.
Top of Page |

Find the Machine of your Dreams

http://www.cnet.com/Content/Reviews/Compare/Pc100/
Buying a PC usually means flipping through magazines, ignoring the advice of friends and scratching your head a lot. C/net tries to make it simple to find the machine you want. Three different kinds of search criteria allow you to specify, among other things, what you intend to use your computer for, price, components and its power. Whilst the Interactive PC Scorecard lets you set your preferences using home or business buttons and five differenct sliding scales. Once you've decided, click Submit and see what it suggests. Warning! Although the Scorecard worked when using a PC, my MacJava had problems trying to handle it. Hey Ü another reason to buy a PC!
Top of Page |

Cult of Macintosh

http://ucsu.Colorado.EDU/~jungd/cult/
There was a period when PC owners were spending too much time trying to plug in the right leads, let alone the right plug and play technology. They could rarely afford the indulgence of the latest pastime currently popular amonst the two-button mouse bridgade...(i) gleeful hand rubbing over the instability of Apple's market share and future (ii) watching Mac 'creative' types play catch-up on the Internet software front. Feeling somewhat backed into a corner, Juhani Sirkia's comprehensive archive of everything Macintosh is a total retrenchment. It embraces the self-conscious cult of Mac ownership and celebrates the original genius of look and feel. Not only does this site provide lifeline links to other Mac material (FAQs, newsgroups and games etc), it is an annotated index to the culture and psyche of the Mac. Technically it has the most intuitive use of frames seen on the Net so far, which just goes to prove the old adage Ü Mac users may be only 10% of the market BUT they're the best 10%!!!!!
Top of Page |

Computer Users Home Page

http://194.143.182.101/
This site serves as a LOOT-style repository of computer resellers. You'll probably find any computer-related bit of kit you might be looking for here. From CAD CAM products through to training, consultants and used equipment, they're all here.
Top of Page |

EMEA S/390 server

http://www.europe.ibm.com/s390/index.htm
OK, so this has all you need to know about the monster mainframe you're operating, but tucked away in the technical section is Mark Cathcart's Corner, the only non-corporate individual linked to an IBM home page. Mark's main thing is client/server, workstation and PC integration with IBM enterprise servers. Read some of the papers he's written or utilise the free pages he is offering to IBM mainframe user groups in Europe.
Top of Page |

Acorn Computer Group

http://www.acorn.co.uk/
The touchingly simple old school graphics and lay out on these pages are probably a legacy of the years Acorn hardware has spent dominating education in Britain. The Town Square is the place to head for a wealth of information on product updates and Acorn users are offered the chance to give feedback by joining 'the clan'.
Top of Page |

Amiga Link

http://www.innotts.co.uk/~garryh/amigalink.html
Garry has kindly listed a whole load of useful links for those of you using an Amiga. ñI make no secret that I currently use an Amiga 1200 for all my Internet access,î says Garry proudly. Well done that man.
Top of Page |

Sunrise Computer Services

http://www.pncl.co.uk/sunrise
Weh-hey, sole distributors in the UK for the Twinhead Sun Sparc Clone Workstation. Apparently at unbeatable prices, although they don't appear to be listed.
Top of Page |

The Museum of Hewlett Packard Calculators

http://www.teleport.com/~dgh/hpmuseum.html
Remember when computers filled a whole room and were run by scientist types in white coats? Remember when a calcualator was the size of a suitcase and all it could do was add up? The sheer knowledge and hard work that's gone into making this museum of Hewlett Packard products is breathtaking in itself but, more than that, it's curiously enjoyable taking a hardware nostalgia trip down when-I-was-doing-my-O' levels lane to check out some of the coolest creaky looking calculators made with real 70s flair!
Top of Page |

World Of Computers

http://www.woc.co.uk
Cambrige-based World of Computers is a commercial outfit carrying all types of computer product Ü Macs, drives, monitors, network cards, fax modems etc and some of the accompanying software. To take advantage of all these goodies it's important to know what you want because descriptions are not included. Orders are placed via fax or phone. The best bit is a price quoting system: fill in a form selecting desired specification Ü make, model, disc space, sound system, optical drives etc. One press of a button and it comes up with how much it'll all cost.
Top of Page |

Unix News International

http://www.globalnews.com/UNI
On-line resource for Unix and open systems users.
Top of Page |

IBM System User International

http://www.globalnews.com/ibmsu
Developments and issues affecting IBM users and suppliers.
Top of Page |

Power PC News

http://power.globalnews.com/ppchome.htm
Self-explanatory in the name stakes, it's a free electronic magazine, originally available via email but now on the Web.
Top of Page |

PC Lube and Tune

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/pclt/default.htm
Three cheers for this collection of excellent hands-on tutorials on how computers work, and how to rewire them to make them go faster.
Top of Page |

Motorola PowerPC

http://www.mot.com/PowerPC/
Through the IBM/Apple co-venture, Motorola looks poised to turn the microprocessor world upside down, yet again, with its RISC processor. If you've been fortunate to use the PowerMacs, you'll be familiar with the technology that's tipped to become the next generation. This site will provide news about, and support for the chip and its associated software.
Top of Page |

Sun Microsystems

http://www.sun.com/
Information about Sun Microsystems, its products and support, as well as research and technology news such as the Sunergy satellite broadcasts. There are links to other Sun sites, located in London, Singapore, Tokyo, Moscow, Johannesburg and Hong Kong, and these provide easy access to public domain software, Sun and government information, as well as material such as the Internet Underground Music Archive. Sun is one of the foremore players in encouraging the development and the use of new technology on the Internet, so keep an eye on this site.
Top of Page |

Creative Labs

http://www.creaf.com/
Creative Labs, makers of the Sound and Video Blaster series, offer news releases, FTP links, support advice, employment opportunities and product details. There's not much here at this stage, but it's all you really need from this specialised multimedia firm.
Top of Page |

UK Unix User Group

http://web.dcs.bbk.ac.uk/ukuug/home.html
All things Unix can be found here, courtesy of the UK Unix User Group. You can access membership details, a substantial software archive, the organisation's newsletter and links to other relevant sites. If you're into Unix in a big way this is a must.
Top of Page |

Silicon Graphics

http://www.sgi.com/
This is a stylish and colourful selection of offerings from Silicon Graphics, maker of design, graphics and animation workstations. It contains the usual lists of products and recent press releases, together with more off-the-wall sections, like Free Lunch - a free selection of graphic images and movie clips created by SGI's customers on its graphics workstations. All this, plus a list of technical documents and investment information.
Top of Page |

Novell

http://www.novell.com
Novell, the company behind the NetWare network operating system, has made a big move recently to shift its support and information services to this Web server. What has been available through CompuServe Netwire for some time is now here. If you have local call or ISDN Internet access, this is the cheaper alternative. In a simple and straightforward fashion, Novell is up there with Microsoft showing how the Internet can be used to deliver value.
Top of Page |

NEC in Japan

http://www.nec.co.jp/index_e.html
This is another megalomaniacal corporate tribute page, this time from electronics giant NEC. The pages are bland and offer little of interest other than a basic product listing. In fact, there seems little point in creating them, other than to show traditional Japanese respect for the chairman. You can check out how he feels about it because the only image is his - and he looks pretty bored as well.
Top of Page |

Intel

http://www.intel.com
Product and support information and a list of 'off-ramps on the infobahn'. There are some handy pointers profiling Internet users and a neat set of graphical usage statistics.
Top of Page |

IBM

http://www.ibm.com
A colourful compendium of IBM marketing information with a strong emphasis on the company's technological prowess, but there's no technical or support advice and if you're having problems with OS/2 3.0, you'll have to look elsewhere. There is, though, the novelty of a spoken message from IBM chairman Lou Gerstner. It seems to be updated regularly, but it could do with more technical support.
Top of Page |

Hewlett-Packard

http://www.hp.com
HP's recently-improved service includes access to drivers and patches for peripherals and other hardware products. This is a good example of how a properly set up Web server can deliver easy, cheap support.
Top of Page |

Digital

http://www.digital.com
This is the main Digital home page and it provides links to other Digital web servers and to professional associations it sponsors or supports. It all adds up to a pretty comprehensive service for its customers, devoid of fancy graphics and marketing puff.
Top of Page |

Digital Commercial Services

http://www.commerce.digital.com/
Designed to show off what Digital can do, this is an almost inexhaustible collection of tourist information about the town Palo Alto - essential reading if you're holidaying there, but of only marginal interest if you're not. Along with out-of-date advice on how to avoid traffic jams during the World Cup, the Caltrain timetable and a promo for Cloud Gallery, a CD-Rom of 'passionate and powerful sky backgrounds', there are screens and screens about Mary & Michael's Wedding Photography. This material is hardly a serious advert for Digital, although it's not without its amusing moments.
Top of Page |

Dell

http://www.us.dell.com
This site has one focus - serving Dell, the world's top mail order PC manufacturer, and its clients. There's online access to spare parts, technical support, BBS files, catalogues, press releases, Dell online service and the Dell international phone list. The site has all the charm of a chartered accounting firm's year-end report. If you use Dell and need files or support, it's probably very efficient.
Top of Page |

Compaq

http://www.compaq.com
Compaq provide a balanced mixture of information and marketing material, plus product support, including a wide selection of downloadable files. Other vendors would do well to read these pages for ideas on how to present themselves in a professional manner.
Top of Page |


Home Page