Best Free Stuff on the Web
Our eighth annual extravaganza uncovers 101 essential sites, services, and tools you didn't know you couldn't live without.
Robert Luhn
Research and Advice
The Customer Zeitgeist
Are consumers angry about service, or are they shifting to a new technology? Is DSL use up in Oregon? Answers to these and other questions can be found at Nua, a handy site with surveys on just about any business area that intersects the Web, from automobiles ("One-third of United States-based Internet users visited automobile sites in February 2003") to broadband usage ("Canada has a higher percentage of broadband Internet users than the U.S."). The site summarizes surveys from many firms. Everything is fairly current--just the ticket for a busy businessperson who needs marketing ammo on the go.
Find Someone
Online phone directories come and go, and their accuracy can vary over time. As we went to press, two stood out: Addresses.com and AT&T's AnyWho. Both offer white and yellow pages, reverse and toll-free directories, and more. Addresses.com has useful extras (prefab phone books for airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies; e-mail address searches), as well as silly ones (celebrity e-mail addresses). AnyWho has a more logical interface, international yellow and white pages, and a more capable search engine for toll-free numbers.
For the Neurotic Traveler
Want to know the safety record of a regional airline? Or how many crashes your favorite national carrier has had? For answers to these and other knee-knocking questions, head to the FAA's Aviation Safety Data Analysis Center. This Web site isn't for window-shoppers, nor is it easy to navigate. But if you want the real story, dig in. For example, to get a list of accident reports, click the Databases link, select NTSB Aviation Accident and Incident Data System (NTSB), and then choose NTSB Data Query Tool. In the form that opens, pick the factors you're interested in (such as 'Operator Name' or 'Injury Level'), and then click Submit. You might think twice about flying on some airlines.
Can You Trust the Web?
The answer is often no. Consumer WebWatch wants to change that. The site is a grant-funded project of Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. You'll find in-depth reports evaluating Web commerce overall and by genre (such as online hotel booking), and lots of links to various groups committed to Web credibility, consumer protection and advocacy, privacy, and more.
The Other Drudge
The motto at RefDesk.com is Avaritia Facit Bardus--greed makes you stupid. That's why RefDesk is free, says creator Bob Drudge (Matt's dad), and it's clearly a labor of love. The home page looks like an old Sears newspaper ad, but it's packed with links to useful resources. The emphasis is on, well, everything: news (and links to major sources); health, science, and technology stories; virus threats; over a dozen reference sites; a grab bag of miscellany (Harper's Index, the Internet Health Guide); and more.
Fed by the Fed
Federal Web sites can out-shovel anyone when it comes to free data, but they often lack interface niceties. Still, for certain kinds of statistics, there's no better place to poke around. FedStats is a gateway to stats from federal agencies. Just pick a subject (Environment, say), and a list of relevant agencies, from EPA to NASA, pops up. Click the Key Statistics link to get quick hits on notable studies. You could also turn to the Social Law Library's State Law Page for a comprehensive and current list (organized by state) of links to state agencies, courts, and laws.
Scouting the Web
Web newsletters appeared minutes after the Web debuted. One of the first and best is The Scout Report, a weekly digest of useful sites with an academic bent. (Specialized spin-offs are devoted to physics, life sciences, and math/engineering/technology.) A typical 20-item report might reveal new figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an archive on the free speech movement, a cool online collection of sheet music, and a special focus on a topic in the news.
What Ails Ye?
Sometimes you need more medical advice than Scrubs can provide. The gold standard is MedlinePlus. Once the preserve of physicians, Medline's formidable database is now easier for laypersons to use and is open to everyone. You can easily search for a symptom, condition, or disease, and get quick links to studies, definitions, and the like. Other sections of the site provide direct access to news about clinical trials, a dictionary of strong drugs, and an illustrated medical encyclopedia. And unlike other medical sites, Medline doesn't pelt you with ads or other sponsored editorials. If you want heavy-duty medical information, go to United States National Library of Medicine and the core Medline database for tools.
Clarity on Charities
Consider it the Consumer Reports of the nonprofit world. Charity Navigator tells you where the money goes, how solvent the organization is, who runs it, and more. The site's star ratings provide a useful thumbnail guide to an organization's standing, and the site's various charts illustrate how an organization compares with its peers in the same field. Need more detail? The National Center for Charitable Statistics stores copies of thousands of charities' IRS Form 990 (the nonprofit equivalent of a 1040).
True or False?
Three skeptical Web sites allow you to double-check Internet rumors. TruthOrFiction.com provides a list of out-and-out urban legends, disputed tales, and true stories, all searchable. A good backup is About's Urban Legends and Folklore site. Concerned about medical hoaxes? Quackwatch zeroes in on dentistry scams, health fraud, quackery, and homeopathy, to name just a few. You'll also find advice on how to pick a doctor, how to spot scams, and more.
Household Care: Tiles and More
Home improvement: personal hell or personal fulfillment? Either way, you need help. Hometime.com, a searchable how-to site built around the popular PBS and TLC Syndication show, covers all the bases, with lots of illustrations and real-world tips. (Cutting tile? "If you're using a utility knife, shorten the blade to keep it from breaking easily.") Thetiledoctor.com sports how-to slide shows, a lot of design help, and a nifty tile calculator (so you buy just the right amount of tile). For more-specialized assistance and advice, seek out Toiletology 101, a funny site with dozens of illustrated lessons on everything from toilet anatomy to septic tanks.
