NETSCAPE SSI 40 BIT ENCRYPTION CRACKED
Netscape uses the Secure Socket Interface (SSI) to assure the security of its transactions. Recently Hal Finney challenged the Net community to crack a Netscape message exchange which used the weaker 40-bit key allowed for export by the U.S. government. Damien Doligez found the key after scanning little more than half the key space in eight days, though admittedly running a program on several powerful parallel computers. Netscape, caught in the web of silly U.S. export policy, points out that domestic software can support a range of stronger encryption options, including RC4 128-bit keys which are considerably harder to crack. Cold comfort for foreign users. Read all about it in a special page we put together for our latest Netsurfer Focus issue: "http://www.netsurf.com/nsf/v01/03/local/nscpchal.html"
CHINA AND THE FOURTH WORLD WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
Here in the States, the contraversies surrounding Harry Wu and Hillary Clinton have colored perception of The Fourth World Conference On Women in Huairou, China, about 35 miles north of Beijing. The official event is covered by the Linkages page, but for more newsy coverage you should try the comprehensive China site put together by James Miles, the BBC Hong Kong correspondent. This is one of the best general resources for news about China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tibet. The high-quality links here seem to be as numerous as the Chinese themselves, primarily newspapers, magazines, and e-zines. There's also a generous sprinkling of other organizations, and technical resources for reading Chinese on the Web. Linkages: "http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/women.html" Miles: "http://www.hk.net/~drummond/milesj/china.html"
CNN DEBUTS WEB SITE, BRINGS YOU WAR VIA THE INTERNET
The international news powerhouse has just launched a new Web-based news site that lives up to their reputation for bringing you all the news, all the time. A front page brings you the usual menu of news categories, along with current U.S. and international top stories. When we looked, NATO planes were blowing up bits of Bosnia and right there was 1.68 MB of wing camera footage of the attack in Quicktime format. Surf the Net and download a war, real-time. Incongruously, right below the war pics was footage of "Cuban rock iguanas at play". It must mean something, but hell if we know what. Discreet icons near the bottom link you to sponsors' pages. Well designed, packed with content, and reportedly getting 20,000 hits per hour. News junkie nirvana. Wing cam: "http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/Bosnia/updates/august95/8-31/am/montage.mov" CNN: "http://www.cnn.com/"
BEST SITE OF THE YEAR: HERE COME THE WEBBYS
Cool Site of the Day creator Glenn Davis has come up with a new award for Cool Site Of The Year. Unfortunately, he named it The Webby. The first winner was selected by user vote from five nominees selected by Glenn. The winner is: The Spot, "....the world's first episodic web site where you can interact with the characters and effect their lives in a virtual hangout that exists somewhere between fantasy and reality". You can find "The Spot" as well as the runners up on the CSOTY site below. Really, Glenn, the "Webby"??? "http://www.infi.net/coolvote.html"
America loves halls of fame. We have one for baseball, we have one for football - we probably have one for cheese somewhere. The only surprising thing was that we did not have a Rock 'n Roll hall of fame until now. Well, we did, but it was just on paper. Not surprisingly the brand spanking new museum of kitchy Rock memorabilia has a Web site. Best reason to visit: audio clips of numerous rock artists and groups, available in a variety of formats. You can also win free stuff (guitar watch with matching slip cover), share your treasured rock moments, and check out the schedule of events. But for heaven's sake, why Cleveland? "http://www.rockhall.com/"
MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENT VIRUS: THE DISEASE AND THE CURE
Microsoft calls it the Word Prank Macro, which is definitely in the running for top prize in the "Best Attempt at Harmless Phrasing by Nervous Marketing Flacks" contest. It's actually a clever virus hack which infects Microsoft Word documents on both PCs and Macs. It does not appear to harm any data. The press is having fun with it. You can get the official scoop as well as some disinfection software from the official Microsoft Prank Macro site. "http://www.microsoft.com/msoffice/prank.htm"
Albion Books, publisher of Virginia Shea's "Netiquette", has set up the "Netiquette Center" on MSN. Netiquette, or Net etiquette, maps out socially correct online behavior. At this here Web page, though, you'll find the book's table of contents and the full text of Chapter Three, "Core Rules of Netiquette". Be patient; each book page is a separate Web page. Information on signing up for the Netiquette mailing list is also here. We suspect that even if MSNers take Netiquette rules to heart - a BIG if - AOLers will flame them anyway, just to let them know their place in the Net pecking order. "http://www.bookport.com/Albion/"
"There are eccentrics, there are iconoclasts, and then there are stark staring lunatics. The Kook of the Month Award is a monthly award dedicated to finding the true nutburgers of the Net and sharing their wisdom and knowledge with the rest of the alt.usenet.kooks population (and, in some small way, the Net as a whole)." We can't say it any better. The Web page is out of date, but, frankly, so what? The page has a link to alt.usenet.kooks and there it is again if you don't access Usenet with a browser. "http://www.wetware.com/mlegare/KotM.html"
TECHNO-IMPRESSIONIST ART GALLERY
After touring the many rooms of this gallery and reading some things to read, you might get the impression that the 1990s genre of Techno-Impressionism is being defined right before your very eyes. You might also get the impression that some of the work of the Techno-Impressionists does not look digital or computer generated at all. But then again, that's the beauty of it. "http://www.digiweb.com/tkarp/"
DEFINITELY NOT SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS
Here's a site to make Capitol Hill types - and teenage males - froth at the mouth. Combine Japanese cartoon art with naughty pictures on the Net and you get the Anime Picture Archive. Anime - the big-eyed artwork of Japanese animation and comics - has attracted quite a following outside Japan. This site offers loads of pictures from various anime series, some nasty, some not. It also features a selection of fantasy illustrations, mostly from the Elfquest series. It used to contain Disney characters. Suffice it to say that when Aladdin and Jasmine rode their magic carpet, they really rode their magic carpet.... "http://www.lysator.liu.se:4711/"
This virtual gallery exhibits photographs selected for the exhibition by a jury, a clue that the quality here might be better than average. Choosing one of ten walls in the gallery's reception area reveals three images with links to even higher resolution versions. The site aims to "extend the connection between the artist and the viewer of the art", and a click on an artist's name yields a self-portrait, a personal statement and, in some cases, an explicative audio clip or link to the artist's home page. These are the winners of the 1995 competition; the 1994 gallery is still online. "http://www.bradley.edu/exhibit95/"
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ART GALLERY HAS WORLDWIDE SCOPE
OK, so it's not quite the Louvre, but the U. of Maryland gallery does offer some culturally rich collections for your online viewing pleasure. Stop by to peruse traditional African sculpture; early Chinese ceramics; mid-20th century Japanese prints; American social realist and regionalist work; U.S. government-sponsored murals from the 1930s; and 20th century prints, photographs, and paintings. New exhibits are added regularly. "http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Colleges/ARHU/ArtGal/.WWW/aghome.htm"
As you might imagine from a self-proclaimed "symposium, exhibition, resource and creation of the fine arts", this site features various art-i-facts, including art publications, works of current artists, lists of galleries, and other art, craft, and design-related sites. The main draw is a zippy and nifty Netscaped slide show of featured features - wait for what you want then dive right in. "http://www.rain.org/~scultura/art.html"
IF IT COMES FROM A CAMERA, IT'S HERE
With a Netscape-enhanced designer look, WorldCam showcases camera and film resources. Link up to world film festival sites, motion picture studios, film schools, and even a list of live Web video cameras. The screening room contains humongous (typically several MB) clips from independent productions and provides an opportunity to submit your own material. The site holds plenty of promise but the design, while creative, is slow and tough to comprehend. Try your hand at script writing by collaborating on the "World's Largest First Draft" behind the Graffiti Screenplay link. "http://www.ovd.com/"
URBAN DESIRES CREATES SOME OF ITS OWN
We've covered the Urban Desires e-zine before and it remains chic. Tres chic. Tres, tres chic. This sophisticated cultural showcase may be the Web's top hot spot for art, music, performance, and travel. It's the kind of site that convinces bosses that moviegoers, photo buffs, connoisseurs, and just about any other employee should never have access to the Web. Chances are, you'll spend serious time here with your mind in other worlds, not on your job. Urban Desires calls itself "an interactive magazine of metropolitan passions". Cool. "http://desires.com/"
Conde Nast publications are slick, and so's this Web site for Conde Nast Traveler. Neat links make it fun to explore the many richly populated pages, which include photos of the destinations dreams are made of, reports from well placed correspondents, travel forums and contests, and daily travel news updates. A fast connection and a crisp monitor will make you glad you visited the impeccable photo gallery, especially if you like beach shots. Some of the JPEGs will make you want to call your travel agent with credit card in hand. Tempting travel advice and surfing delights will please the escapist in you. Go for it. "http://www.cntraveler.com/"
Here's an ideal fishing spot for anyone trolling for new realities (as if one isn't enough). The Noncyclopedia of Cyberspace (NC) is "a summary of realities that have been without substance - until they have been described in a noncyclopedia." Bounce around the NC, and you'll encounter such nuggets of enlightenment as semiotic particles, the lion of "existance", and the instability of the letter "A". If it's all a bit much, keep in mind that the NC is the product of Cybaria, "the largest non-existing philosophical society of the netage". But if Cybaria doesn't exist, yet has been mentioned in the NC, does that mean it then does have substance? Chew on that for a while. Or not. "http://www.ping.at/users/noc/"
Blood Alley is the Vancouver Echo's magazine of "pop culture, sex, death, music and personal affirmation". It's a bit tame as e-zines go, which might not be a bad thing as it's readable and makes sense. The mag offers a mix of non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and reviews. The writing's a bit uneven - flat here, engaging there, and kinda disturbing way over there. Music reviews focus on local and alternative bands; witness the current issue's list of ten reasons to blow off work and hit Lollapalooza '95. A few steps down from Blood Alley you'll find the Echo's homepage and a collection of columns by Randy Shore, Vancouver's answer to Dave Barry. It's worth the wander. "http://www.vannet.com/vanecho/magazine.htm"
Zoilus is an e-zine written by and geared for today's angst-ridden youth, put together by students at Gathersburg High School in Maryland. Web surfers are sure to experience bittersweet memories of their own high school experiences as they read, as well as something they might not expect: depth of character. The short stories and poems in Zoilus show a maturity and perception that belies the stereotype of today's youth, namely that they are Nintendo-playing, skateboard-riding, plaid-wearing snotty brats with attention spans in the nanosecond range. If illumination is the goal, Zoilus will provide. "http://pages.prodigy.com/MD/zoilus/zoilus1.html"
Bill Arnett has already brought a bit of the heavens down to Earth through his "Nine Planets" tour of the solar system (NSD #11). Venturing a bit farther out in the universe, Arnett now brings us the Web Nebulae, a collection of stunning astronomical photographs of nebulae - clouds of gas, dust, or stars. Though the emphasis is on aesthetics, not science, Arnett's pages offer basic information on each of the 25 or so objects featured, as well as links to further images and to various observatories and astronomical institutions around the world. The clean layout is anything but nebulous and makes meandering through this small part of the universe a joy. "http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/billa/twn/"
THIN FILM RESEARCH, SPACE, AND YOU
Aside from communications satellites and science fiction, not much money is to be found or made in space. The University of Houston's Wake Shield Facility (WSF) may change that. Shuttle orbiter Endeavour will carry this R&D gizmo to orbit and release it as a free-flyer. Researchers hope to explore the possibility of manufacturing thin film materials in the vacuum and microgravity of space. While Endeavour is scheduled to launch next week, the WSF Information Center is already up. The site will offer real-time updates during the mission, a chance to win a mission patch carried on board Endeavour, and the opportunity to e-mail questions to WSF scientists and the shuttle crew. "http://www.svec.uh.edu/"
This Canadian Museum of Civilization site complements the IMAX film, Mystery of the Maya, co-produced by the museum. The Web exhibit has links to info on the Maya civilization, the IMAX film, and other Maya-related sites of interest. If 260-day religious calendars, stepped temples, and human sacrifice are your bag, grab a glass of balche and head on over. "http://www.cmcc.muse.digital.ca/cmc/cmceng/mminteng.html"
COOL EGYPTIAN TOMB SEEMS DODGY
This sounded exciting, like an adventure game, in which you'd pretend to be an archeologist and scout around a ficticious pharoah's tomb looking for who knows what. However, we can only access it sporadically, and when we do, the images take a while to chug in. Still, it's worth a try because the concept's pretty spunky. The tomb is gorgeously rendered and is rich with objects and murals. You choose your own route through the domain of the dead. It sounds and looks great - in theory. It's a bit confusing without explicit directions. Maybe wait for a rainy day for this one, but try it sometime. "http://www.mfet.com/katz/thetomb/thetomb.htm"
DOLBY LABS' HOME PAGE AS CLEAR AS THEIR SOUND
This well organized and informative home page comes from the people who bring you Dolby Sound in all of its incarnations. You can browse hints on home sound system setup, click on a living room full of sound components, and peruse info on digital film sound in theaters. There's lots of interesting stuff for casual and professional audiophiles. The contents of the latest Dolby newsletter is also available. "http://www.dolby.com/"
Here's the deal. Five top American chefs have cooked up some recipies for Cookin' on the Net. You donate $12 and get a password which provides access to the mouth-watering recipies, some CDs, and a cookbook. The money goes to programs that make computers available to disadvantaged and handicapped kids in five cities. The kids get to play Doom when the teacher isn't looking, you get a decadent meal, and the chefs tell you about their restaurants. Everybody's happy. A cool Net charity site. "http://www.cooknet.org/index.html"
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