Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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It's only late November and already we're seeing "Christmas" being advertised
on TV.
Neil Martin continues to roll out his "over a thousand tips and branches" for
those who prefer a sanitary plastic tree to the olfactory delight provided by
a real pine -- and a myriad of other retailers are gearing up to annoy
the snot out of us.
About this time of the year I usually start asking readers what they think
would be the coolest gift for your average computer/Net user -- and here
I am, doing it again.
Obviously the Microsoft Xbox (woohoo!.. there's another entry for me
in the Microsoft draw to win a trip to E3 in LA next year) is probably a
strong contender -- but what else tickles your fancy?
Check Out The Aardvark PC-Based Digital
Entertainment Centre Project
Updated 29-Oct-2002
Maybe a handful of WiFi cards so that you can hook up all your PCs and
the notebook computer without annoying cables? Anyone who's visited my
place will be well aware that my "carefully concealed network of cables"
is actually anything but.
What about a DVD writer? Today's modern PCs with their huge 40GB+ hard
drive capacities really need something a little more practical than a
puny 700MB CDR/RW drive to back-up their valuable contents don't they?
Maybe you lust after a PXT-capable cellphone -- the modern day equivalent
of inviting friends around to view the pictures of your holidays. Does
anyone remember "slides" and slide-projectors?
Or (perhaps best of all) what about your own PC-based Tivo-like box? Okay --
yes, I know it's taken a lot longer than I'd planned but the next update
on the Tivo-like PC project will be published this week and personally,
I think it would make a brilliant family gift!
However, one thing's for sure: the technophile is never short of gift suggestions --
so let's hear yours.
Awards -- Who Needs Them?
About this time of the year I've also tended to run the Aardvark Awards, but
this year I don't know if it's worth the effort.
The Netguide Awards were announced last week and produced barely a blip
on the industry's radar screen.
Other annual Net-related awards also seem to have suffered through an almost
total lack of interest
so why bother?
Perhaps the biggest problem faced by people running these awards is that they
end up being caught between a rock and a hard place.
Let the public vote and it becomes easy for the results to be skewed by any
"vote for us" campaign that might be mounted by a high-traffic (but not
necessarily very good) site.
Appoint a panel of independent judges and there's always going to be cries
of "unfair" and "biased".
What do you think? Should there be a 2002 Aardvark Awards?
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