Editorial
More "Eckspurts"
A regular Aardvark reader sent me a heads-up on a site which is busy flogging an "Internet Marketing & Communication" seminar that features no less than the highly regarded Russell Brown and the woman behind the NZ Herald's very successful relaunch on to the NZ Webspace - Chantal Dunbar.

You only have to take one look at the website to see that it's clearly been designed by someone who has no hesitation in assaulting your brain with an array of animated GIFS, no less than four frames and more fonts and ad banners than you can shake a stick at.

Sounds a little amateurish doesn't it?

Well, considering all the abuses it contains, the site's front page doesn't come off too badly -- but you really have to wonder about the credibility of any seminar which purports to be delivering expert advice in relation to the Internet when you click on that link labeled "Register by Email" in the right hand frame.

Are these people stupid or just lazy?

What is it about Internet marketing seminars that attracts these kind of people -- and what does it say about those who are stupid enough to pay money to an organisation that seemingly doesn't know it's Net-arse from its Net-elbow.

What's Your Start-Up Page?
Yesterday I suggested that there was an alternative browser start-up page that only a few people seemed to be using.

I refer of course to a page you create yourself.

In case your not aware, you don't have to have your own website or access to a web server to create your own startup page.

Armed with just a regular HTML editor (or text editor if you're brave and want to learn how to write HTML by hand), you can create your own browser startup page that can have much of your favourite stuff on it.

You can include your favourite bookmarks so that jumping off to get your daily fix of Aardvark is just one click instead of two (when you use the browser's bookmarks or favorites option).

If you go to weather.com you can even have weather information for your city built into your page.

Want news headlines? -- you can include them by framing the material from your favourite news source within your page or maybe the 7am.com news ticker.

While you're at it -- you can build in a search form for use with your favourite search engines and why not add the 7am.com daily poll applet

In short ... you can become a web designer and create your ideal browser start-up page which will live on your own computer's hard drive. Who knows, you might learn something in the process and actually have a little fun too.

The Anderton Factor
It has now been SEVEN days (a whole week) since I sent my email to Jim Anderton with suggestions on how to encourage the "new economy" and requesting a reply from our Minister of Economic Development.

Still No response from the minister.

Free republication rights available on request

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