ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010017
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-10 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Computer Bits
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
After watching a cruel little movie, "The Juror," over the weekend, we were in a Mafia mode, so a visit to The Godfather website was an appropriate next move.
Fans of the "Godfather" movies probably will spend a lot of time at this Internet stop, revisiting the Corleones, Vincent, Michael, Vito. The site, named Exit 109, is structured so you can get the soundtrack or trivia about each of the three Godfather films. Probably the most interesting section, though, is the one that tells where the actual movie scenes were shot.
Don't be disappointed, but the car chase scene that appears to be on the George Washington Bridge actually was shot in a studio. And guess where the meeting of the Mafia team leaders, the Dons, was filmed? At the headquarters of the Penn Central Railroad.
If you've had enough of this low-life, but are still movie-struck, then go see Mr. Cranky rate the movies at his site. Mr. Cranky uses landmines to rank flicks, except for ones "so god-awful that it ruptured the very fabric of space and time." He puts bundles of dynamite sticks beside these reviews.
Mr. Cranky gave two landmines to "A Time To Kill," and said Sandra Bullock's role could have been axed as easily as a clip of a fingernail.
What should she buy?
Now from reel life to real life.
This item is a departure from the usual type of information found in this column, but it'll test how readers can share information. J.B., a Daleville woman, needs to replace her IBM 486SX and two 210 hard discs and get something that will put her on the information superhighway in style.
J.B. is big on genealogy and has 14,381 genealogical records in her computer. She edits a genealogical quarterly, "Nichols Nostalgia."
"At present, I use Word Perfect 5.1, and I know that I have to change to some type of windows software and a mouse," she wrote.
J.B. wants a system that is fast, has large capacity, a fast modem, a fax, a CD ROM, a new monitor (what size for best clarity), and a quality scanner. She does not play computer games. She already has an HP LaserJet IIP printer and isn't sure she needs a new printer.
"I have about $4,000 that I could put into a new computer system, but the more I can get for the least amount would really make me happy. Do stores take trade-ins?" she asked.
OK, computer businesses. Here's a chance to grab a customer and educate all of us. You tell us what you'd recommend for J.B., and we'll pass along some of the advice for all readers. Remember the column runs on Thursdays, so send us replies by next Monday, please. Our address and phone number is in the adjacent graphic.
The ag-consumer page
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has staked out a site on the World Wide Web. It offers information about the various offices within the department and the services they offer.
Already, the department's Web pages provide comprehensive information on national and state livestock market prices as well as information about auction sales, marketing opportunities and where to buy and sell breeding stock. Several newsletters for beef, sheep, swine and goats are also available.
Another page up and running gives information about the certification, licensing and training of pesticide applicators; registration of pesticides; pesticide laws; pesticide disposal and recycling of pesticide containers.
AEP and property
American Electric Power Co. has connected its database for economic development to the Web. This interactive site provides information about more than 1,000 available industrial properties in AEP's seven state service area, including several in Virginia.
You have to register to use the database, but once you're in, searches can provide detailed information about property, asking prices, community locations, utilities, tax rates and transportation access. AEP uses the database to help generate economic-development prospects that presumably would also be customers for its electricity. It allows the company to follow up with registered users who have expressed interest in specific sites.
Besides economic developers, the home page contains information that will be of interest to AEP's residential and business customers and investors. AEP's earnings reports and other financial data are on the Web site as well as company news, a corporate profile and consumer information.
AEP has copyrighted the ProCure software that runs the database. The home pages won the American Economic Development Council's best of class award in 1995.
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