Hi folks. Here's info and links to cool stuff to help you enjoy web sites that use multimedia effects.

Computer illiterate visitors probably don't want to mess with their computers without assistance. But if you love to tinker with things like me, then you might find something here that interests you.

Please note that I can't help you with this stuff because of the wide variety of hardware and software that exists in the world. So please refer your questions to the pros at your computer manufacturer or at the sites below.

Download Speeds for Some Features

My home page loads slow on first visit or after a cache purge. On MIE the wait is not bad, but it is irritating when I use my AOL browser. The background music and JPEG button faces need more time to load due to file size.

You don't need to wait; you can go to another page as soon as the table loads by clicking on the table text.

I sometimes link to WAV, AU, AVI, MPEG or other formats that require time to download. If a more than modest wait is expected on a link, I provide an advisory note so you can opt to skip a feature.

Browsers and Multimedia Plugins

This site is best viewed with MIE 3.0 or higher. AOL's standard and AOL95 browsers work fine too although they generally operate more slowly. A Netscape friend told me that works well here too.

If you'd like to test the capabilities of your browser, there is a wonderful free site that is available at Windows Magazine's web site found here: Fred Langa's BrowserTune.

America Online has an excellent area for Department 56 collectors, and I sometimes link from my site to features found there. These links can only be accessed from my site by AOL subscribers while using an AOL browser.

If you'd like to give America Online a try, go here:

AOL subscribers experiencing difficulties with multimedia may want to check Keyword: Update and Keyword: 128 Browser to see if you have the system requirements to update your AOL client software.

If you want to try MIE or Netscape, go here: or

ActiveX, ShockWave, VDOLive, RealAudio, RealVideo, and other plugins allow you to experience a broad range of multimedia effects. To learn more, go here: Multimedia Showcase.

If have multimedia capable browsers but experience blank pages or problems, its often because Javascript and ActiveX aren't enabled. On MIE browers, click Preferences, then the Security tab and check your settings at the bottom. If changing options while at a web site page, click Apply (not OK) to effect changes to that page.

Creating Your Own Web Pages

Its not as hard as you think! Check your local bookstore for books with a CD-ROM having free or shareware. AOL subscribers can get more information at Keyword: My Place. Its free!

Lots of more advanced not-so-free HTML editors are around. I chose Hot Dog 4.0 Professional to create and maintain my site which is housed entirely on free server space AOL provides to members :)

If you'd like to try Hot Dog's free or pay HTML editors, go here:

A Word About Virus Threats

If you surf alot and like to experience all that the internet has to offer in the way of multimedia you unfortunately run an increased risk of virus infection particularly when you enable browser ActiveX and Javascript capabilities.

To combat the risk, I backup my hard drive, run a good virus scan program, and disable ActiveX and Java if I'm randomly surfing to parts unknown on the internet. So far I've been lucky :)

Although virus risk is real, new users tend to get into a panic everytime an email warning circulates amongst users. This exasperates the virus problem because many warnings are hoaxes. If you want to try a good virus software program, go here: McAfee Associates. To obtain virus information, try: Computer Virus Myths.

Links to Other Nerdishly Geeky Kewl Stuff

If you really love your computer, check out these sites:

Computer problem solving and answers: Tom's Hardware Guide or CNET.COM.

Articles, downloads, tips and news: Windows Magazine or PC Computing.

The Year 2000 problem: The Year 2000 Information Center