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Too many files to track? Park them in your Driveway
By JIM BROOKS Computers are wonderful gadgets that seem to have taken permanent residence in our homes, briefcases and offices. Only on a vacation does a day go by when I'm not staring at a computer monitor. If you own more than one computer, or use one at work and at home, then you've undoubtedly experienced the hassle of managing files that you are working on. Too often I've forgotten to e-mail myself notes from work for column ideas; and my how many sticky notes can you stick to your checkbook before you begin to hit sticky overload just trying to keep track of them all? Web sites can be a hassle to keep up with too. If you've ever visited an interesting news story on a Web site and bookmarked it to somehow keep it for future reference, you've probably experienced the disappointment of seeing a "File Not Found" message when you decided to finally go back to re-read it. Bookmarking a page you want to return to has its hazards too. You can wind up with a bookmark file that's so cluttered with dead web pages it's virtually useless. The solution for these problems is as close as the Driveway -- Driveway.com, that is. Driveway.com's mission is simple: The company offers users space to ``park'' files for future use. Driveway is NOT a server for Web pages. Consider Driveway to be your digital 2-car garage. You can store files there and access them as easily as you would if they were sitting on your own computer's hard drive. The service is free, but Driveway users must register and select a password. You can set your Driveway account to share files with other online users if you wish. Driveway makes such arrangements quick and easy to complete. But Driveway's shining star is a feature called Web Clipping, a service that makes bookmarking Web sites nearly obsolete. Web Clipping allows you to save an entire Web page for later review or reading. It's a great feature for times when you see something interesting but don't have time to read it now. And Web Clipping saves the page as it looks now -- especially handy for news pages that may change periodically. Once you've ``Web Clipped'' a Web page, it is safely stored in your Driveway.com storage area. I have been one of Driveway's 6.2 million members for months, but didn't make much use of the free storage site until I discovered the ``Web Clipping'' service. If you enjoy reading like I do, you'll appreciate the ability to save Web pages for later reading. One of the best parts about Driveway.com is that the basic service is free. You can obtain additional storage area for you files for a small fee, and the company has ``Private Label Storage'' solutions for other business needs. Visit Driveway for more information at www.driveway.com. PARTS IS PARTS. One of the hottest cars out of Detroit in the past 20 years is the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Though its running gear is based on the popular Neon, the retro-theme-with-New-Millenium styling has won rave revues. And the demand for PT Cruisers has outstripped the supply. I've heard that dealers that get cars are selling them at prices well over the retail sticker prices. To keep you busy while you wait for delivery of your own cool Cruiser, you may want to visit a Web site called www.ptcruiserparts.com. The site has the feel of a search engine or portal, but its focus is solely on the PT Cruiser -- and helping you equip yours to reflect your personality. For starters, you can order an OEM-style spoiler wing -- complete with paint in the correct color to match your Cruiser. The site conveniently includes a tutorial on how to install the part, and a "difficulty gauge" that gives you a quick indication if this is a job for you or better left to a professional. My favorite accessory is a "woodie" trim kit, to turn your PT Cruiser into a 1960s-era surfer woodie wagon. The site includes chat areas (where I assume you can chat about how long you've waited for your Cruiser to arrive), news about the Cruiser, events and more. Order your Cruiser and then go visit www.ptcruiserparts.com for details on cool parts and accessories, or chat with other owners. FREE FALL. The ranks of the free advertising-supported Internet providers just got a little smaller recently. Freewwweb.com ceased operation recently, and now refers all of its current customers to Juno Online, where users can sign up for either no-cost or discounted Internet access plans. Freewwweb's deal with Juno is very similar to the one it struck with World Spy, the freebie Internet provider that closed its doors in June. Freewwweb claimed it had 700,000 subscribers when it folded. Both WorldSpy and Freewwweb generated subscribers but lacked advertising revenues. World Spy didn't put any ads in front of its customers, while Freewwweb only required users to use their ad-filled home page as your Internet start page. Juno is the nation's fifth-largest Internet provider, with nearly 2 million subscribers to its low and no-cost Internet plans. Freewwweb users who convert to Juno will be allowed to continue receiving e-mail at their old Freewwweb address. For more information, visit www.juno.com. JUICE IS LOOSE. O.J. Simpson will use the Internet soon to tell the world he didn't kill his ex-wife and her friend. The Entertainment Network will launch AskOJ.com, a Web site that allows Web surfers to chat with the former football great -- for a fee. The site will house additional evidence regarding the case of his murdered ex-wife, and e-tail selected autographed goodies for his fans, like autographed football memorabilia and helmets. Users will be asked to pay $9.95 for the right to chat with Simpson on July 27 and visit his AskOJ.com Web site. For more information, visit www.AskOJ.com. Comments and questions about this column may be sent to jbrooks@myoldkentuckyhome.com, or visit www.myoldkentuckyhome.com on the World Wide Web. | HOME | |