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Find your heart's desires while surfing the World Wide Web Feb. 2, 1997 By JIM BROOKS The continued growth of the World Wide Web manifests itself in a number of ways (besides busy signals if you're an AOL subscriber). For me this month, it means that the number of Web sites devoted to Feb. 14 -- Valentine's Day -- have skyrocketed this time last year. Not only have more sites gone online, but it never fails to amaze me at the creativity of today's Internet entrepreneurs. So break out the satin mouse pad, it's time to review Valentine's Day Web sites! VALENTINE.COM This site goes beyond your normal tell-your-sweetie-you-love-them type of message Web site. At Valentine.com, you can place an order to send an actual greeting card (by mail) to the Valentine of your choice. The cards run the gamut from friendly to feisty and flirtatious; a "Perfect Card Picker" offers guidance in selecting the right card for the right person. Beyond a card, you can also add any one or more of books about love, or even a gift -- including gift certificates from national stores and restaurants (including McDonalds, Baskin-Robbins and Victoria's Secret). A lipstick ``kiss'' to seal your card or a condom are also options to express your feelings. If you've looked for love in all the wrong places lately, you can read the site's own advice columnist, ``The Love Mechanic.'' In addition to some solid advice on relationships, you'll find interesting points of view from ``The Mechanic's Apprentice'' -- a 13-year-old Canadian junior high student who answers questions sent in from the site's younger visitors. Valentine.com -- billing itself as ``The love at first site'' -- even offers online shopping for Valentine's Day romantic getaways. For all the heart-shaped fun you can possibly stand, point your Web browser to www.valentine.com. VIRTUAL FLORIST. If your significant other is also an Internet user, you can send them a virtual flower arrangement, courtesy of the Virtual Florist at www.virtualflorist.com. How do you send a ``virtual'' flower arrangement? First, your loved one gets an e-mail message alerting him or her to the ``arrangement'' waiting at the Virtual Florist Web site. Once there, your sweetie enters a password to retrieve his or her virtual floral arrangement. While the novelty may soon wear thing (depending on your Valentine's sense of humor) , it's still an interesting way to send a cyberValentine -- it's the thought that's important anyway, right? . In addition to several very pretty flower arrangements to ``send,'' Virtual Florist has its ``Sixties Arrangement," complete with peace sign and lava lamp; a ``Junk Food Basket'' will quicken the pulse of most anyone who's favorite meal begins potato chips. If the ``virtual'' flowers seem a bit cheap, don't worry. The site is just a sideline for a company in business to send real flowers and gifts -- the Internet Florist. The company's Web site, at www.iflorist.com/internet, offers secure online ordering for flowers and arrangements for any occasion (the flowers aren't actually sent from the florist's location in St. Paul, Minn., but are ``wired'' to their destination, just as though you called or stopped in to see a local florist). The prices are reasonable, though a call to a local florist might reveal something less expensive or better suited to the message you're trying to get across. If you're sending flowers across the country, you may find the Internet Florist a more convenient way to do business. SIMPLY VALENTINE. This site isn't out to sell you anything. Simply Valentine is a site devoted to the holiday. It is rich in content, from the history of Valentine's Day to suggestions for romantic ideas to show your loved one how much you care. You can find out the history of giving flowers as gifts, and even read how to say ``I love you'' in a number of languages, from Latin to Hopi Indian. An entire section is devoted to the topic of love in historic literature and poetry. You can send a Valentine message that is more than just a simple e-mail message. It is an HTML document that will display all the options and personalized message that you create online. The message will be posted for 21 days, so you can be certain your loved one will have ample time to retrieve it. The best part is the price -- Simply Valentine is free. There's no charge for sending an E-Valentine as they call it. Not only will you find it a great place to begin your own search for information about the holiday, but you'll find some interesting Valentine's Day-related links here as well. Point your browser to http://holiday.ritech.com/valentines for more information. CANDY IS DANDY. What Valentine's Day would be complete without a box of sweets for the sweet -- and the Mendocino Chocolate Company offers its handmade truffles and treats fresh from its own candy kitchens. You can enjoy a taste of what the site calls ``the Mendocino mood,'' and order a selection of absolutely scrumptious looking truffles with names like Angela (a favorite of Angela Lansbury), Mocha Delight and Surf's Up Peanut Butter. You can order assortments from 13 pieces to the feed-your-friends-and-family 40-piece assortment. It isn't cheap, but hey, its gourmet handmade chocolate candy -- and it is for your sweetie. For that special touch, you can have your candies packed in a special cedar box. For details, point your browser (and your sweet tooth) to http://www.mendocino-chocolate.com/. ONLINE SHOPPING SAFETY. Business transactions on the Internet are increasing in number, slowly but surely. But many consumers are still cautious about putting their credit card information out on the Internet. News stories about hackers getting credit card information and related, often-inflated tales have most folks skittish about online purchases. Caution is necessary with any use of a credit card, but there are ways of making your credit information more secure when you're on the Internet. Most Web sites setup for business online offer some sort of secure transaction service. Both Netscape and Microsoft support a variety of security standards that essentially encrypt your transaction, keeping it safe from any ``prying eyes.'' Never send your credit card account information by e-mail or fax; these offer no real security, and can be accidentally forwarded (resent) by anyone who has access to it. Nearly all businesses offering online sales have a contact phone number if you aren't comfortable with using their online ordering system. In general using your credit card via the Web is no less secure than handing it to the clerk at your local superstore. In both instances, it is in your best interest to shop at reputable firms. AOL REFUNDS. America Online is moving quickly to stem the flow of customers complaining about not being able to access the system. Attorneys general in 36 states -- including Kentucky -- have agreed to AOL's plan to issue refunds and credits to customers unable to get online. Financial analysts said the move would likely boost the company's near-term financial results, since AOL is also agreeing to reduce its marketing efforts at the same time. The plan is aimed at reducing consumer complaints and will essentially buy the world's largest online service some time to upgrade its infrastructure to accommodate more users. Refunds aren't issued automatically; the plan AOL agreed to has two parts.
Subscribers who logged on for two to eight hours during the two-month period can request a 50 percent refund. Those who were able to use the service for eight to 15 hours can seek a 25 percent refund. Part of the settlement means AOL will do no new advertising in February. Ads now in production will carry a disclaimer that users may have problems accessing the service. A final point worth mentioning is that telneting into AOL will get you in virtually every time -- with no busy signals. Since the access problem AOL has experienced is due to a lack of phone lines, Internet users with their own Internet Service Provider (ISP) can use it to get into AOL regardless of how many business signals its modems are receiving. Comments and questions about this column may be sent to jbrooks@myoldkentuckyhome.com, or visit www.myoldkentuckyhome.com on the World Wide Web. | HOME | |