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Give me your best links!!!!! — Parallax Forums

Give me your best links!!!!!

idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
edited 2013-05-28 07:08 in General Discussion
Hello Everyone

As some of you may know, I have been spending quite a bit of time building a new and major web site, but more particularly, a web index or directory of high quality links in a unique and useful format. I must admit that it is taking a bit longer than I expected, but it is also coming together very nicely.

At the present time, I have a total of 57 subject categories, pertaining to a wide variety of useful subjects. For the most part, I have been avoiding the subject of "Hobbies" like the plague, because it just to vast a subject to cover all facets. In an effort to provide a good resource for myself and all forum members here at Parallax, I have now decided to limit the bounds of "Hobbies" to just "Hobby Electronics". If you have a favorite link or a long list of links pertaining to hobby electronics, please provide them so that I may include them into my website.

In addition to creating this special subject category, I have also decided to donate the main banner spot for this subject category to Parallax for an undetermined but extended period of time, providing they are interested. If so, the main banner spot will be 482 pixels in width by 70 pixels in height. Perhaps the banner design could warrant a new contest.

Anyhow, please help me to build a list of quality links that we may all enjoy, and the new website should be forthcoming in the near future.

Bruce
«1

Comments

  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-05-26 10:03
    This is the best one I could find.
    WWLink_Bow.jpg
    1024 x 823 - 96K
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-05-26 10:38
    idbruce,
    ...new and major web site,...

    So...where is it? Can we see?

    You mean "major" like Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Google, Parallax, my home page or what?
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2013-05-26 11:05
    Hey Bruce!

    I would look a Duanes' list of most excellent links. Many to chose from.

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/135706-Index-Test

    Jim
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2013-05-26 11:44
    Aren't banners considered "old school"? I thought they went away about ten years ago.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-26 12:02
    @heater
    So...where is it? Can we see?

    You mean "major" like Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Google, Parallax, my home page or what?

    Right now, you cannot see it, because it only exists on my hard drive. When I say major, I mean it took a lot of work to make it, as compared to several days, there is months of work on it. If I combine the previous work with the current work, there is probably 6 months of planning and programming. However if I had to compare it in size, I would say it would be closest to Parallax, but still not quite that big.

    @Jim
    Hey Bruce!

    I would look a Duanes' list of most excellent links. Many to chose from.

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthrea...706-Index-Test

    Thanks Jim, I will take a peek when I start gathering my links.

    @NWCCTV
    Aren't banners considered "old school"? I thought they went away about ten years ago.

    Banners are everywhere, but to me a banner is just an advertising image, which links to a target.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-26 15:26
    @Heater

    Over the last several hours, I have thought about my use of the word "major". Perhaps the use of this word was quite misleading, In fact, after a little thought, I came to the conclusion that it is no where near the size of Parallax. However, many years ago, I wrote a script to automatically build a "HUGE" website by running daemons on a server, which is based upon a similar layout and programming. So by all means, it could become major if I was to rewrite that script, but at the current point, in the grand scheme of things, I suppose it is quite small in comparison to the bigger boys.

    Irregardless of it's size, I am sure that a lot of folks will find it useful and add it to their web browsing arsenal.

    Bruce
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-05-26 18:38
    A good source for old, cheap science and engineering (and other types of) books:
    http://www.betterworldbooks.com/
  • bill190bill190 Posts: 769
    edited 2013-05-26 19:02
    FYI - I did something similar many years back. However I found that many links quickly stop working! (Like within a year.)

    As an example, the Parallax forums web site went through changes a while ago, then all the links changed. Other web sites do the same from time to time.

    Also porno sites will buy up expired names, so suddenly that "G" rated electronics link is to a porno site.

    What I found better was to use a google.com search link instead. And provide the search words to get the submitted links to come up in that search.

    So for example instead of providing separate links to microcontroller manufacturers, search google.com for "microcontroller manufacturer". Then save that link with the name "Microcontroller Manufacturers". Then that link is always up to date (unless google changes things).
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-05-26 19:08
    I use this a lot www.google.com
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-05-26 19:26
    Doesn't anybody use Bing?

    :ROTFLMAO:
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-26 20:04
    @bill190
    Yes it is true that many wensites come and go or the urls change, but many also have withstood the test of time. For instance, many of my original urls from the year 2000 still work.

    @Mike G
    I bet you cannot type Career and Employment into Google and end up with a highly refined list like this one.

    Replaced with the list in post #14
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-05-26 20:13
    Lists that are too long are no better than no list at all. You might consider doing some distilling to make it actually highly refined and thus more useful.
    bill190 wrote:
    Also porno sites will buy up expired names, so suddenly that "G" rated electronics link is to a porno site.

    Yeah, I worry about that a little when I post an external link on the forum to an image on another site.

    -Phil
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-26 21:19
    @Phil

    Yes I agree. I accidentally posted the unrefined list. Here is a much better list for Career & Employment

    http://www.aerotek.com
    http://www.alljobsearch.com
    http://www.bestjobsus.com
    http://www.beyond.com/
    http://www.careerbuilder.com
    http://www.career-intelligence.com
    http://www.careersite.com
    http://www.christiancareercenter.com
    http://www.computerjobs.com
    http://www.dice.com
    http://www.employdiversity.com
    http://www.flipdog.com
    http://www.hcareers.com
    http://www.headhunter.com/
    http://www.ihiresecretarial.com
    http://www.indeed.com
    http://www.irrigationjobs.com
    http://www.itcareers.com
    http://www.job-applications.com
    http://www.jobbankusa.com
    http://www.job-hunt.org
    http://www.job-interview.net
    http://www.jobjunction.com
    http://www.jobvillage.com
    http://www.kforce.com
    http://www.landscapejobs.com
    http://www.latpro.com
    http://www.lifeguardingjobs.com
    http://www.locatejobsnetwork.com
    http://www.logjobs.com
    http://www.manpower.com
    http://www.megajobsites.com
    http://www.monster.com/
    http://www.myjobapps.com
    http://www.needtechs.com
    http://www.officeteam.com
    http://www.resume.com
    http://www.resume-resource.com
    http://www.seniorjobbank.org
    http://www.snagajob.com
    http://www.softwarejobs.com
    http://www.spherion.com
    http://www.thejobresource.com
    http://www.toplanguagejobs.co.uk
    http://www.truecareers.com
    http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa

    Of course these are just urls, but the layout of the website will make it more appealing. This is just the links for one of my subject categories. Just wait till you see my layout, plain, simple, and sweet.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-05-27 06:46
    @Mike G
    I bet you cannot type Career and Employment into Google and end up with a highly refined list like this one.
    Agreed "Career and Employment" is not a clever search query. Use a well crafted query like "software engineering jobs".

    Out of curiosity, how did you find all those links and what makes the links high quality? How are you measuring quality?
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-27 07:16
    Out of curiosity, how did you find all those links and what makes the links high quality? How are you measuring quality?

    The links were gathered from numerous sources pertaining to a particular subject. Each link has been visited to establish validity and verify the content of the website. If the website has good content and perfoms a particular function well, then I consider it a high quality link. On the other hand, if the website lacks content, does not perform a particular function well, or does not serve some type of useful purpose or does not provide useful information, it does not make it into my website.

    BTW
    Use a well crafted query like "software engineering jobs".

    As it pertains to my list above, one of these links should do the trick

    http://www.computerjobs.com
    http://www.dice.com
    http://www.itcareers.com
    http://www.softwarejobs.com
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-05-27 08:21
    idbruce wrote: »
    ...

    As it pertains to my list above, one of these links should do the trick...

    It's true one or two of your links might "do the trick" but, as others have already implied, your list-farming approach looks like something somebody would have offered before the advent of the internet search engine. Nobody looks for information this way anymore. Of course having a dozen or so links that you offer as being your faves for whatever reason is okay, but you can't humanely expect people to plod through much more.

    Is there something about your approach that we're missing?
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2013-05-27 08:24
    idbruce, will there be any pages devoted to your cnc machine?
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-05-27 08:41
    idbruce wrote:
    I wrote a script to automatically build a "HUGE" website by running daemons on a server, which is based upon a similar layout and programming. So by all means, it could become major if I was to rewrite that script, but at the current point, in the grand scheme of things, I suppose it is quite small in comparison to the bigger boys.
    This sounds much more interesting than a list of bookmarks. How did the daemons work? What is the purpose of the "HUGE" site? Is the site still around?
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-05-27 11:24
    Thing is, I have so many bookmarks for so many things. Obviously they became bookmarks because they were interesting/usefull at the time. These bookmarks have been collecting from browser to browser, machine to machine for a long time. Now I don't remember what they all are or why exactly they were important at the time. Never mind if they are still "live" or not.

    Given this state of affairs how is throwing those into a pot with contributions from hundreds of other people going to help?

    As has been suggested above, now a days I don't bother. If I want something I go to Google and there it is. Turns out it's better to take some notes of what I am doing at the time. All engineers should be in this habit anyway. Then if I want to go back, pick out some keywords from the notes, feed them into Google and with any luck I'm back where I started.

    Basically if that does not work then neither would have keeping a bookmark.

    The only other alternative is to download all the interesting stuff so that I have it locally. That's not going to happen because I don't have the space and I don't want to be spending my life taking care of backing it up. Well, it does happen for some
    really special finds.

    So, Bruce, how is this going to work?
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-27 12:15
    Okay Guys

    I offered this as a courtesy. If you don't want to use my new web site, then don't. I don't care.

    First off, if nobody use lists anymore, someone better tell the Open Directory Project (http://www.dmoz.org/) to close up shop, so that the 98,295 editors can find something better to do :)

    The idea of link directories is not new, nor is the layout, but the layout is unique, because it was devised by me and to my knowledge, nothing similar has been around since the year 2000, when my web site closed up due to funding withdraw and contractual agreements. The terms of those contracts have expired, but I still own the copyrights, so I am attempting to give new life to a once popular website that bit the dust.

    One of the reasons that the website folded was a lack of sales and the ability to generate income, and this was due to a lack of products. This problem is now solved.

    With the exception of containing a link directory for Hobby Electronics, the website itself will not pertain to electronics or projects, but still it will be a good resource for those interested in electronics.

    Basically the website will maintain a good list of shortcuts to nice websites, so that you will not have to bookmark them.

    Irregardless of what the naysayers may say, I believe in this project and that is why I am doing it.

    Back in the day, July 11, 2000, one of my directories made it into the LA Times - http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/11/local/me-50867, look for Scrollables.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-05-27 14:37
    idbruce wrote: »
    ...

    Back in the day, July 11, 2000, one of my directories made it into the....

    Bruce,

    was that before or after the trilobites went extinct? I tried to look it up on dmoz, but....

    All kidding aside, it's generous of you to offer your links, but keep in mind that the year 2000 is ancient history insofar as internet tech goes. Google was not even 2 years old at that time and wikipedia had yet to be born. Facebooger was still three years away. I use the internet to research all sorts of things every day, but I've never even heard of dmoz. And if I wanted to know what's on dmoz, it might make more sense to google it using keywords site:dmoz.org trilobites rather than trudging through lists the old fashioned way. (HINT: on dmoz, you would need to know that a trilobite is an arthropod.)

    But that's just my old fogey's 2 cents worth. So consider the source.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-27 14:57
    @ElectricAye

    I think you are missing the point. The search engines are great, I also use them regularly.

    The point is this....
    Given an array of a limited number of subjects which interest a fair amount of people, there will only be a limited amount of quality websites that apply to a given subject. Considering that many quality websites do not rank high in the search engines, you may have to search for hours to locate the good sites. Additionally, by having internet sites arranged in the type of directory that I intend to set forth, you can browse a lot of quality information very quickly as compared to searching for it. And in addition to that, you can change you area of interest and obtain quality information, simply by choosing a different subject. At this point in time, the following is a list of subjects that I am pursuing, and I have a lot of very nice links pertaining to these subjects. Simply select a subject, and click links until you get bored. Simple.

    Airlines
    Amusement & Jokes
    Apartment Rental
    Appliances
    Armed Forces
    Associations & Organizations
    Astrology & Horoscopes
    Astronomy
    Automobile Manufacturers
    Automobile Rental
    Banking & Loans
    Books
    Career & Employment
    Celebrities & Musicians
    College
    Computers
    Cruise Lines
    Education
    Firearms & Ammunition
    Fishing
    Football Teams
    Free Stuff & Freebies
    Gardening
    Golf
    Health
    Home Reality
    Insurance
    Investment
    Lodging
    Lottery
    Magazines & eZines
    Moving Companies
    Museums
    NASCAR & Racing
    News
    Newspapers
    Outdoor Recreation
    Parenting
    Pets
    Rail Lines
    Recipes
    References
    Restaurants
    Shopping
    Sports News
    Stock Market
    Theme & Amusement Parks
    Tools
    Toys & Games
    Travel
    Watercraft Manufacturers
    Weather Forecast
    Webcams
    Wedding
    Women
    Zoos & Animals
    P.S. Another issue is that many folks are not internet savy and a directory may help them find quality information.

    EDIT: For example, here is a link to a directory of state, national, and international parks. The layout is a little cheesy, but the website is highly functional. Check out the parks of the world without the drudgery of the search engines. http://www.iloveparks.com/
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2013-05-27 15:32
    Irregardless
    Please stop using this word. It does not exist.
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-27 15:42
    Please stop using this word. It does not exist.
    Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance.
    Source: Merriam-Webster - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-05-27 15:52
    Yes but, compilers of dictionaries do not prescribe what is correct. They only document common usage. Which is, as we see, often wrong. Mistakes happen, then like some kind of language cancer they spread. Poof they are in the dictionary. It's kind of hopeless to try and fight it.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-05-27 16:10
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    Please stop using this word. It does not exist.

    Jo dood, it do now. It da plague!
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-05-27 16:15
    heater wrote:
    They only document common usage. Which is, as we see, often wrong.
    It can't be "wrong" if it's in common usage. Language is all about usage. It's a naturally evolving, breathing thing which, if it were not allowed to grow and change, would die. (Look what happened to Latin, and imagine English being frozen in Chaucer's native dialect.) Rules, therefore, can only be temporary at best and will always eventually get redefined by usage. Regardless of such pontifications, though, "irregardless" still has an uphill battle to be accepted by the cultured classes. :)

    -Phil
  • idbruceidbruce Posts: 6,197
    edited 2013-05-27 16:25
    "irregardless" still has an uphill battle to be accepted by the cultured classes.

    Yea, I do believe some folks have been in the petri dish a bit too long :)
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2013-05-27 17:09
    Well, I guess it's OK for those cases where somebody wants to really say regardlessly regardless.... :) You know, to be redundantly redundant?
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-05-27 17:14
    I kind of like irredundant....it has a nice ring to it! (without regard to common usage, of course!)
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