Top 100 web secrets

1. Travel the world

11. Learn a second language
The internet is the perfect place to polish up on your Esperanto, and the site I Love Languages (www.ilovelanguages.com) offers 2500 hand-picked links to lessons and translators to any language you can think of. The UniLang site (http://home.unilang.org) offers dozens of language lessons from basic level upwards.

12. Donate your time to a good cause
Don't just donate your clock cycles, volunteer your body as well. GoVolunteer is an Australian matching service for those wanting to volunteer, and those in need of a volunteer. The directory is broken down into types of volunteer services, and you should have no problem finding someone, somewhere, that needs your help. For more information, check out: www.govolunteer.com.au.

13. Think you're smart one? Test your IQ
Mensa is the world's leading authority on brainiacs, and you can bet that Mensa's online IQ test is going to strain your brain. Doing this won't immediately get you into Mensa, of course -- to become a member you'll need to sit a paper test with a mediator in the room. However, if you fancy yourself to be one of the world's smartest people, the Mensa Workout should sort you out: www.mensa.org/workout.php.

14. Make your own photo album
Putting your photos online is all very well and good, but what about something a little more impressive. Local site Momento offers the software and know-how which will enable you to layout and print your own professionally-bound photo album /coffee table book. Check it out at: www.momento.com.au.

15. Make a computer game
Designing and programming a computer game is easier than ever. Whether you're an amateur with little programming experience, or a professional looking to discuss the tricks of the trade with other developers, you'll find numerous tools, resources and tutorials online. GameDev.net (www.gamedev.net) is a hub for game development, but if you're interested in something more specific, there are many beginner tools to get you started. For 3D games, check out www.garagegames.com and take a look at the Torque game engine (used in Tribes 2). Or, if adventure games are more your style, the Adventure Game Studio (www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk) is a powerful, but simple, development tool. Finally, for those after an all-round development tool, Clickteam's Klik and Play (www.clickteam.com/English/klilk&play.htm) is very popular with budding game designers.

16. Learn a programming language
If you're reading PC Authority, there's a good chance that you're a programmer, or have at some point, experimented with programming. If you haven't dabbled in a little programming before, you've got nothing to lose by developing some basic skills, and with the web being a breeding ground for coders and hackers, you'll find an abundance of tutorials to get you started. We're big fans of Python - it's portable across platforms, powerful, and very easy to learn - and it can find a place for any type of application. Check out www.python.org to download the interpreter and libraries and then jump over to www.hetland.org/python/instant-hacking.php to get started.

17. Can't read it? Translate the web page
Many sites are either English-based or offer English versions, but you'll sometimes stumble on a page that does not have an English alternative. Aside from study a new language, your best option is to translate it. Altavista's Babel Fish Translation http://world.altavista.com, based on SYSTRAN's translation software lets you translate sections or whole web pages from many different languages into English, or other languages. Alternatively, Google offers a similar service at www.google.com/language_tools.

18. Get fit and learn a new sport
The internet is a great way to find and learn obscure sports. One homegrown game is Suburbanball (www.trustamate.com/Suburbanball/index.php), which is a type of street hockey. But for a more pedestrian game, head to www.herta.edu.hel.fi/Potatoes/molkky.htm for the Finnish sport of Molkky (pronounced merlo-cue), which involves tossing a small bat at wooden pins, and is best enjoyed with beer. Finally, if these sports don't satisfy you (we can't imagine why), head to www.everyrule.com for more.

19. Dig up dirt on your favourite celebrity
The Smoking Gun is a repository of documents, photos and reports collected in the name of public interest, freedom of information, and the outright humiliation of celebrities. No-one is safe from The Smoking Gun, and you can find dirt on everyone from Michael Jackson's court trial, to Hugh Grant's misdemeanour, and even Bill Gates' 1977 traffic violation. So, to take advantage of the public's right to know about the misfortunes of famous folk, head to www.thesmokinggun.com.

20. Test your defences
In a response to increased hacker activity, Microsoft is one of several companies providing software firewalls and spyware scanners. But is it still advantageous to use third party software? Companies such as McAfee (www.mcafee.com) offer free firewall scans to registered users, but Shields Up! by GRC (www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2) is one of the most reliable and anonymous firewall testers available. Trend Micro (http://housecall.trendmicro.com) and Panda ActiveScan (www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm) also offer free online anti-virus checking, which means you no longer need to download large pattern files to keep your computer secure.

21. Find yourself a wireless hotspot
Wireless hotspots are continuing to pop up all over the country, but, as is the nature of wireless technology, you won't know where they are until someone tells you. To keep up with the locations of hotspots in your location, head to www.whereis.com.au and select Wi-Fi from the 'Also show nearest...' drop down menu. Alternatively, head to sites like www.jiwire.com or www.wifinder.com for a searchable, worldwide directory.

22. Donate to a charity
It's never been easier to donate to a charity, and with the effects of the tsunami disaster still being felt, it's as relevant as ever. Most major charity organisations provide the option for online donations via secure website transactions. For a quick list of online charities, check out www.redcross.org.au, www.careaustralia.org.au/donate_now.asp, or www.oxfam.org.au/donate.

23. Put your photos online
Save a tree and put your photos online instead. Various sites are available that let you share your photos, with a select group of friends, or with the world at large. There are several services that can do this for you, with just two being Yahoo Groups (http://au.groups.yahoo.com) and My Photo Album by Fortune City (www.myphotoalbum.com).

24. Find the perfect Linux distro
Need a version of Linux, that fits under 40MB and is translated into Esperanto? Or how about a version that's so easy your grandmother can use it? Unfortunately, the flexibility of Linux leads to an overwhelming amount of choice, where its biggest advantage can quickly turn into its biggest disadvantage for new users. Sites like www.distrowatch.com provide a searchable, centralised database of hundreds of Linux distributions to help you find the most suitable version.

25. Become an ordained minister
Absolve your loved ones of their sins, and get a nifty certificate! The Universal Life Church (www.ulc.org)offers non-denominational, instant ordination. As it's an American website the local legal implications are unknown, but it offers the ability to officiate at weddings or even start your own ministry. 26. Find out when you're going to die
The ominously-named Death Clock is a 'friendly reminder that life is slipping away...'. To find out how many hours you have left, add your age, weight, height, and smoking status and you'll get your very own countdown. It's certainly not serious, but if there's something that's going to get you to stop putting things off, it's the Death Clock. www.deathclock.com.

27. Get your photos delivered
If you don't want to print your photos from your own printer, and you're not interested in heading out to your local photo developer, upload your prints to the many services available and get them sent directly to you. Print@Kodak (www.kodak.com.au) and Print@Fujicolor (www.online-photo-album.com) both offer an online remote printing and delivery service. Additionally, they let you store and share photos online as well as provide an alternative destination address to send your prints elsewhere.

28. Read a free science fiction book
The Creative Commons (CC) (www.creativecommons.org) is a great example of applying an open source methodology to other forms of media, like music, films, photos and books. Media released under a CC licence will typically let you download, print out and electronically distribute as you please. One of the most famous examples is science fiction author Cory Doctorow's (www.craphound.com) famous Hugo Award nominated debut novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, which is available as a free PDF from his website. Many other artists and publishers are catching on, so head to http://commoncontent.org and browse through the collection.

29. Get a real university degree
University degrees don't just form the subject headers of spam. You can legitimately get a university degree in Australia at a number of institutions around the country as part of the Open Universities Australia project. There are hundreds of courses on offer and many are available online. You can also study at your own pace and defer upfront fees. Head to www.open.edu.au for more information.

30. Get the best price
Shopping online is a great convenience, but you can make it even better by heading to sites that grab prices from many locations and find the cheapest one. Price crawlers are available for many categories, including tech, clothes, travel and entertainment. Check Razor Prices (www.razorprices.com) and TechWatch (www.techwatch.com.au) for PC-related gear; DVD Plaza (www.dvdplaza.com.au) for movies; and WebJet (www.webjet.com.au) for flights, hotels and car hire. To search many categories, check out GetOnce Australia (www.getonce.com.au) or Google's own shopping search, Froogle (http://froogle.google.com).

31. Build an arcade machine
There was a time when arcade machines housed the greatest, sexiest and technically advanced games out there. Sure, we can still relive those memories with classic arcade remakes or emulators, but you can't beat the nostalgia of an authentic arcade box. If you get a little tear in your eye as you think back to those days, then you're not alone. The net is filled with tips, tricks, guides, and plans for building your own arcade machine and, with a standard PC humming away inside, you can potentially install hundreds of games on the one box. So, if the prospect of building your own arcade box gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling, head to www.arcadecontrols.com. 

32. Convert anything to anything
If you've ever sat pondering exactly how many pinches in a dash, how many yokes make up a barony or how many jiggers there are in a firkin, wonder no longer. Not only is the Mega Converter www.megaconverter.com a great source of pub trivia, it'll convert anything you can think of.

33. Hungry? Thirsty? Find a recipe.
The web is a great place to find new recipes, and many sites also include a voting system so you can gauge how good a recipe is. For a wide selection of recipes there's Epicurious (www.epicurious.com), which claims the largest collection in the world, and also Recipe Zaar (www.recipezaar.com). For something more specialised: fans of Indian food will appreciate the Curry House (www.curryhouse.co.uk).

34. Become a beta tester
The quality of software is largely attributed to the testing that goes into it. Beta testing is typically the final phase before a product is shipped, and many projects are opened up to the public. To help developers find bugs, sort out design issues, and grab a sneak peak at an upcoming release, head straight to the developers site. Requests for beta testers are usually found in the respective FAQ section, and you can keep your eye on upcoming beta software at www.betanews.com. Alternatively, head to software repositories like www.sourceforge.net for a huge list of open source software, or head to www.gamespot.com/misc/betacenter for snapshots of games.

35. If your short on time, watch a short film
Before broadband, watching movies over the net was a tedious, jerky experience. To combat this, numerous sites popped up which offered short films and trailers which didn't have to cache for hours to give a decent experience, and many of these are free to watch. For some cool, high quality shorts, check out www.ifilm.com and www.atomfilms.com.

36. Test your internet bandwidth
Internet connection getting you down? Ever wanted to know what your true internet speed is? There are several places you can go to find this out. Bandwidth Speed Test (bandwidthplace.com/speedtest) lets you specify your location but only does download tests, while PC Pitstop (www.pcpitstop.com/internet/) is US-centric but will also test your upload speed.

37. If you can't cook -- order a pizza
In the beginning, internet equalled geeks equalled pizza, but online ordering never took off. But now that users of Everquest II can get a steaming hot pizza online (by typing /pizza) it's in vogue again. Pizza Hut is the main contender (www.pizzahut.com.au), while Dialadonga services readers in Woollongong (www.dialadonga.com.au), and Cuisine Couriers (www.cuisinecouriers.com.au) also delivers pizza and more.

38. Be an annoying movie critic
Did you cringe when you saw The Hulk fling a tank through the air? You should have, according to Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics, because the laws of physics dictate that The Hulk would have to weigh about 9000 kilograms to achieve such a feat. Or how about the underwater city in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace -- it's surrounded by a force field to keep water out, yet will happily allow a human being, consisting of 80 percent water, to slip right through. So if the bad representation of technology and science drives you insane, equip yourself with the facts at http://intuitor.com/moviephysics.

39. Publish your own book
Many people dream of becoming an author, but getting published has always been a lot of hard work, but sites like Wild and Woolley (www.wildandwoolley.com.au/self_publish) can help you publish your own novel or album, with advice on distribution and publishing.

40. Make your own Tron costume
Unitards aren't for everybody. And Tron Guy (www.tronguy.net) proves it. Here he offers a 'how to' on designing your own Tron costume. You don't need to have Jeff Bridges physique, but may we recommend some sort of groin protection rather than the 'commando' look featured here. For crying out loud, please! And if you're really into making your own Tron costume, head to www.tron-sector.com/articles/article.aspx?id=66 for even more ideas.

41. Fight for your rights
With the introduction of mainstream peer-to-peer sharing, and the over reaction of some large industry bodies to target ordinary users, it's not unusual for many net users to feel their rights are slowly being eroded. If this sounds like you, then there are groups you can join that are actively taking up the fight for your civil rights online. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (www.eff.org) provides legal or financial support to those under threat, and actively promotes the awareness of online rights. Alternatively, head to Electronic Frontiers Australia (www.efa.org.au) to take up the fight locally.

42. Calculate anything
By typing instructions into Google's main dialog box you can not only perform complex calculations, but you can convert measurements back and forth, apply trigonometry and more. For example, typing the phrase four plus two or 4 + 2 will return the answer at the top of the search results. To convert measurements, you simply add the word 'in' between the source and destination, as in: 47 kilometres in miles. The flexibility of the calculator is immense -- Google even knows the answer to life, the universe and everything.

43. Send someone a free SMS from the web
A free site that's good to use when you haven't got your mobile to hand is SMSPup -- a member service that allows you to send free SMS to any Australian mobile. Registration is free, and the site's ad-driven, but it's useful in pinch. Find it at http://smspup.com.

44. Find a live band to see
Streetpapers such as Drum Media (www.drummedia.com.au) and Beat (www.beat.com.au) are usually the best places to find local gigs, but not all cities have these. Triple J (http://triplej.yourevents.com.au) offers its own gig guide which is configurable to the area you live in. If you live in a capital city then CitySearch's (www.citysearch.com.au) 'Music and Nightlife' lets you search by venue and act.

45. Learn an instrument online
It's never too late to start learning the piano. Piano-style keyboards are cheap and can plug directly into your PC via a midi or USB port. There are plenty of free sites available which lead you through how to play them, and you don't even need to know how to read music. For guitarists check out Wholenote (www.wholenote.com), which offers thousands of walkthroughs and tips. If piano is your instrument of choice, check out: www.learnpianoonline.com.

46. Patent your brilliant invention
Have a great idea and want to know if someone has already patented it? Or are you just curious about the oddball things people patent? The local database (http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/ols/searching/patsearch/search_page.jsp), on its own admission, only has seven percent of the world's patents, but it's a good place to start. Otherwise, the Law Research (www.lawresearch.com/v10/search/cetrade.htm) page offers a page of links to search by region or country, and the monster site of the US Patent and Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov) has a huge database of patented items.

47. Access your PC remotely
There are many types of remote access to your PC - web browsing, telnet and FTP being common examples -- but if you really need convenient control over your Windows system it's often better to access the interface directly. VNC and its variants can replicate the screen of your PC remotely, which means you can just tunnel into your PC from another internet-connected PC and gain access to your Desktop. The potential for misuse is apparent, so ensure you're taking proper security precautions before you dive in. Check out www.realvnc.com or www.tightvnc.com for more information.

48. Brew your own beer
Want to find out how to brew your own beer? Bought a home brew kit from Woolies and want to know where to go now? Forums and newsgroups are a great place to speak to beer-minded individuals, and also to pick up new ideas for recipes. Check out www.homebrewtalk.com on the web and the rec.crafts.brewing newsgroup for details on everything from the most traditional to stout to the fruitiest, raspberry-flavoured beer.

49. Browse like a professional
Stumble Upon (www.stumbleupon.com) works a lot like the Google toolbar, and clicking the 'Stumble' icon brings up a random site based on categories that you choose when you sign up. You can give a site a thumbs up or down depending on whether you find the site useful or not. Like a trainable spam filter, the program then 'learns' what you like based on your responses, and will enable you to find more helpful and relevant sites.

50. Have a hand in editing a book
Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org) aims to become the largest electronic library for literature in the world. Books that are in the public domain, either through unrestricted or expired copyright, are uploaded and proofread by an army of diligent volunteers around the globe. You, too, can contribute to this fantastic resource by heading to Distributed Proofreaders (www.pgdp.net) and offering as much or as little time as you want.

51. Check traffic conditions
Web cams may have their voyeuristic qualities, but they can be useful as well. Most major cities have their own traffic webcams which enable you to check out the local conditions. The most useful of which is Sydney's RTA traffic system, which refreshes every 60 seconds.

Sydney - www.rta.nsw.gov.au/trafficreports/cameras
Melbourne - http://webcam.omni.net.au
Perth - http://map.mainroads.wa.gov.au/trafficam/SelCamera.asp
Brisbane - www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/MRWEB/Prod/Content.nsf/DOCINDEX/Main+Roads+Web+Cameras?OpenDocument

52. Start a fantastic new romance
Dating sites are usually fee-based -- sure they'll let you register and browse for free, but as soon as you try to contact someone you need to pay for it. Several new sites aim to remove these financial barriers to finding love. Meeting Place (www.themeetingplace.com.au) is a more traditional dating site while The Social Scene (www.thesocialscene.com.au) uses a bulletin board format.

53. Make a free phone call 
VoIP is destined to make a big splash this year, and there are several programs available which will let you make internet-only calls for free, and internet to landline calls for a heavily discounted price. If you want to try out VoIP without the commitment of signing up to contract, check out Freshtel's Firefly (www.freshtel.net/firefly) and Skype (www.skype.com).

54. Read your own news
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) enables users to tailor their news to their own needs, and the FireFox (www.getfirefox.com) browser enables you to view news headlines from numerous sites in real time from your bookmarks folder. An orange radar appears in the bottom right of your browser when you are on a compatible site, and clicking on it adds it to the list of feeds. To find a list of RSS feeds sorted by category, head to CompleteRSS (www.completerss.com).

56. Set up a P2P network
Peer to peer networks don't have to be about sharing music and movie files with the entire world. FolderShare (www.foldershare.com) and Grouper (www.grouper.com) are programs that let you set up file-sharing between a network of friends and computers that you choose. It's like a private, personalised intranet, and you can add or remove computers at any time.

57. Go way back in time
There's nothing worse than trying to dig up some barely remembered data from a website only to find that the entire site's been overhauled and the archives binned. Or maybe you just want to see how a site used to look. In any case, the Wayback Machine (www.archive.org) can help you. Like a time machine for the internet, the Wayback Machine is a cached archive of internet sites dating all the way back to prehistory, or at least 1996.

58. Check the surf conditions from your home
Weather reports are OK, but there's nothing quite like eyeballing the surf conditions yourself. This is where Coastal Watch's (www.coastalwatch.com) comprehensive links to beach webcams comes in handy, allowing you to check the waves before you leave the house.

59. Get rid of that horrible stain!
So you hop off a bus seat, only to find your backside is glued down with gum. Worse still, that turkey fat stain on your shirt still won't come off. There are many sources of laundry wisdom online -- check out FabricLink (www.fabriclink.com/holidaystain.html) and the Butler's Guide (www.butlersguild.com/guests/general/stain_removal.html).

60. Watch a crim get arrested live
Whether or not the fascination with watching all facets of the criminal justice system on TV is actually a healthy pastime, it's clearly one of the most fascinating forms of entertainment out there. If you find this one of the more interesting types of reality TV, you can take it one step further by watching live arrests at the Anderson County's Sheriff's Department (www.tnacso.net/cont/jailcam.shtml).

61. Stay healthy (if not wealthy and wise)
Regardless of the type of information you can find online, we don't recommend any form of self diagnosis, treatment or drug prescription without first consulting a medical professional. However, if you're using it for reference or educational purposes, there are many sites that can keep you informed about your health. Health Insite (www.healthinsite.gov.au) stores a wealth of information that you can browse by category. For a friendlier site, Victoria's Better Health Channel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au) offers up lifestyle advice and consumer information on prescription medicine -- and there's also the added bonus of a question and answer forum with an expert panel.

62. Start your own online radio station
Similar to Yahoo's Launch music streaming service, Shoutcast (www.shoutcast.com) gives you the option of joining in by listening to the online streams or hosting your own. Simply download the Winamp plugin, start your server and begin playing to the masses. Share your IP with friends and family or list yourself on the Shoutcast website to let other users tune in. Best of all, since the plugin works with MP3 players, it also works with Audion for Mac OS and XMMS for Linux.

63. Hack a website -- legally
Websites such as www.hackthissite.org provide a legal way to hack websites, which you can use for your own security, or seeing if you can beat the system. Users can sign on and attempt to breach the security of a machine across a range of challenges. Some of these include: Free range hacking, application challenges, HTTP hacking and team challenges. Unlike rogue or malicious hacking, these games serve only as a method of informing curious users and teaching them methods of securing their own data integrity without the inherent risks of spending some time behind bars.

64. Shorten an internet address
Long website addresses are frustrating and there's nothing worse than pasting a link and having part of it cut off due to some word wrapping formatting error. TinyURL (www.tinyurl.com) solves your web woes by taking long names and making them, well, tiny. This website is a great way to manage your own web content by using it for redirection or hiding links from prying eyes.

65. Stay informed
If there's one thing the internet does better than any other medium, it's the delivery of breaking news. Most major, traditional news outlets feature an online version, or you can head to aggregation sites like Google News that pull headlines from around the world on a single 'front page'. And for those who just can't live without the paper and ink version, check out (www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages) features the front page from newspapers around the world. Search by region, country or name. Best of all, since they're submitted by the newspapers themselves, there's no risk of copyright infringement.

66. Debunk a conspiracy
From JFK to John Lennon, nothing is ever as simple as it seems, according to conspiracy theorists. While most conspiracy sites aren't worth the pixels they're written on, Above Top Secret (www.abovetopsecret.com) takes submissions from the general public and is very thoughtfully put together. If conspiracies aren't your thing, but you take pleasure in exposing the kooks that start them, head to Crank.net.

67. Find out what those crazy kids are saying
Kids are hard to keep up with at the best of times, with Microsoft recently jumping on board the internet-speak bandwagon with a guide to online chat. It's funnier than Microsoft thinks it is, we're sure, and you can check it our here: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/children/kidtalk.mspx. Alternatively, if you want a more heavy duty resource to find out what terms like 'fo Shizzle' means, head to the popular www.urbandictionary.com. It's similar to the Wikipedia, and will let you add your own entries, and rate user definitions.

68. Start a blog
Web logs, or blogs, are online diaries that can cover anything from politics, technology and sports through to clothes, kittens and moustaches. Many community sites are available for users to start their own blogs, with websites like www.blogger.com, www.joeuser.com, and www.livejournal.com (and its darker brother, www.deadjournal.com) offering free use of their hosting servers. While free accounts are available for LiveJournal, the paid accounts give much more functionality such as directory searching, LJ email addresses and a much wider range of personalised journal styles.

69. Find an Electronic Program Guide
Windows MCE was released in October 2004, and according to Microsoft there is still no word of an official electronic program guide on the horizon. Unfortunately, most options available at the moment require some programming experience, which negates the user-friendliness of the media centre phenomenon. But to tide you over, check out TVxb (www.tvxb.com) which promises the ability to transfer TV schedules into XMLTV format, and includes instructions on how to run it in MCE.

70. Augment your desktop with widgets
A widget is a small application with typically one purpose in mind. These desktop plugins can perform functions like mail notifications, playing games, RSS feeds, search bars and more. To run these widgets, you'll need to install the popular Konfabulator (www.konfabulator.com), which has over 600 widgets available (www.widgetgallery.com). Konfabulator isn't the only player in this space -- for more options, check out Stardock's (www.stardock.com) Object Desktop range or the very free, and very excellent Samurize (www.samurize.com).

72. Update your blog via your mobile

Got a blog? Need to update while you're on the road or when inspiration strikes? There are numerous programs available which allow you to alter your blog via SMS or WAP. One program, Azure (web.vee.net/projects/azure), is free and easy to use -- just download the program to a WAP or web capable phone and start blogging.

73. Make millions on celebrities

Celebdaq (www.bbc.co.uk/celebdaq) is an addictive, online trading game. You can buy shares in celebrities and make 'money' off their fame, as well as get handsome payouts each week depending on how often they've been in the news. Furthermore you can start a league with your friends, and compete amongst each other. Celebdaq is British, so there's a lot of celebs you've never heard nor care about, but there are still plenty of international stars.

74. Google yourself
Vanity, thy name is [insert your name here]. Google's the search engine du jour, simply because it does what most search engines have trouble doing -- working effectively. It's the default search engine for many because of this, and there's an interesting use for the service. You could look yourself up, and see just what information about you is out there. It's not just an exercise in vanity, as some people have seen their credit card and other personal details freely searchable. It's worth checking.

75. Find a support group
As much fun as we've had with exploring the more obscure corners of the internet to bring you the quirky, unusual and downright weird, there is a serious side, too. Websites like www.ncsmc.org.au, www.stepfamily.asn.au and www.mumstheword.com.au are great resources for single parents and couples looking to support each other. Get in touch with other parents, discuss and learn, help someone in trouble, and support the community.

76. Store your data offsite
The most secure type of backup is offsite, because no matter what happens to your data at your house or work there is still another copy. There are several companies that offer internet backup but one of the cheapest is FirstBackup (www.firstbackup.com). It offers storage up to 100GB and also offers a free trial period with 50MB. Gmail also offers 1GB of storage, but in chunks of less than 10MB.

77. Get up-to-the-minute scores
We're a nation of sports nuts and there's nothing more natural than sitting on the couch for five days watching a cricket match. Unfortunately though, time doesn't always permit that sort of dedication. As usual, the internet comes to our aid and you can turn to websites like www.thescore.com.au and http://au.sports.yahoo.com/ giving you up to date sports scores. And if you think you're onto a winner, check out www.sportstab.com.au put your money where your mouth is.

78. Find free music to listen to
While there has been plenty of controversy over the legitimacy of downloading music and subsequently copyright infringement on the internet, there are plenty of free, legal options. Yahoo's Launch music service (http://au.launch.yahoo.com/) is a free online radio allowing you to skip up to five tracks per hour. Mp3.com.au is another site that's filled with royalty-free music uploaded by the artists. It covers all genres and features international and home-grown talent.

79. Contribute to an online encyclopaedia

Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) is a free and searchable online encyclopaedia. It differs from other reference sites, however, in that users can submit, edit and otherwise contribute to it. It's available under GNU's General Public Licence, is available in over 100 languages worldwide and contains more than 470,000 articles in English alone. Wikipedia also houses other spin-off resources like the Wiktionary, Wikinews, Wikibooks (manuals and textbooks), and Wikispecies (for finding out exactly what kind of nematode you just found in your fettuccini).

80. Here comes the virtual bride

Weddings are rarely cheap, and not particularly easy to plan. But why pay someone else to do it when you can do it yourself? Bride Online bills itself as the number one resource for planning a wedding and provides links to businesses and free replies for your wedding-related queries. (www.brideonline.com.au)

81. Design a T-shirt and win a prize
Threadless (www.threadless.com) is a great site that not only promotes good T-shirt design, but by a system of member votes allows the best to be made available for purchase. Got a good design? Send it to Threadless and let the democratic process work for your wardrobe.

82. Explode a myth into a million pieces
Find out what's really going on in those chain-letter emails you get sent. Did a mermaid really get washed up after the Boxing Day tsunami? Will forwarding an email to all of your friends get you $100 per address from Bill Gates. Does chewing-gum take seven years to pass through your digestive system? Who knows? Find out on the excellent urban legends site Snopes (www.snopes.com).

83. Defend yourself from zombie attacks
It's only a matter of time before the undead break loose and wreak havoc among us tasty living. As we all well know, defending yourself against the undead is completely different to fighting off the living, but now you can learn how with the handy visual guide at the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency (www.fvza.org). It's best to be prepared.

84. Stop singing the wrong lyrics
Misheard and mis-sung lyrics are not only a source of amusement but can also be a source of embarrassment. We're all guilty of it, so isn't it time to double-check what you're singing? Head to Kiss This Guy (www.kissthisguy.com), named after the famously misquoted line from the Jimi Hendrix song, Purple Haze. There are some classics on this site, including someone who sung to Credence's Bad Moon Rising, 'Don't go out tonight, for it's bound to take your life, there's a baboon on your right'.

85. Get your groceries delivered
The internet isn't just for popping virtual bubble-wrap and buying hunks of the moon, it is a practical tool too. For those with a busy lifestyle, or those who just hate shopping, websites like www.greengrocer.com.au, www.shopfast.com.au and Woolworths HomeShop www.homeshop.com.au are all ways of getting your shopping done without leaving the house. Simply order before a specific time, pop in your credit card details, and make sure you're around for delivery.

86. Find how much you're worth
Wondering if you're paid enough, or maybe even paid more than you're worth? It's time for a harsh reality check. Find out just how many minutes it takes Kerry Packer to earn your yearly wage at PackerWatch (www.wwwildcats.com/packer.htm), and then for the ultimate test, check out the Global Rich List (www.globalrichlist.com) see where your wage places in earning with the rest of the world's population.

87. Find a pub for a game of pool and a beer
Finding a place to eat is tough and finding a decent pub is tougher. Luckily for us thirsty folk, the internet can help find that new watering hole you've been searching for. Browse on over to www.eatability.com.au or www.aussiepubs.com.au and take a gander at some of the places to drink in your area. There are even online state specific pub crawl guides for when you want to do a lot of boozing but you're not sure of the best way to go about it.

88. Learn how to draw online
If your drawings look like they’ve been done by an injured bear using its feet, there is help available. Websites such as www.unclefred.com and www.learn-to-draw.com can teach you the essentials of drawing people and animals without getting complicated. There is a range of free and paid for services, the fee based ones providing a more detailed look at drawing fundamentals and advanced techniques. If you’re embarrassed when asked to sketch, surf over and check these sites out. 

89. Be your own stock broker
There’s nothing more frustrating than waiting in a line to take care of business. The emergence and rapid uptake in popularity and functionality of online banking has opened the door to share trading without leaving home. Websites such as https//:www.comsec.com.au/ and https://www.etradeaustralia.com.au let you buy, sell and watch live prices of your shares without needing to be an expert in stock. There are even online tutorials and a weekly feature article showing you how to get the most out of your trading.

90. Take a stroll on Mars
Remember when NASA (http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home) got really excited by some rocks that the Mars Pathfinder found? Well, you can relive that glory once again with the Mars Rover (http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/webcams/marsroom.html). And this time they've found some things that really are interesting. For the VRML panoramas on the site you can try the Cortona plugin (www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona).

96. Find a friend