February 18, 2000

University of Washington web site wins top honors. The home page is here. It is a great web site (though I have a couple of very nit-picky co mplaints). Very commendable is how they've gradually improved site-wide navigation for quicker access to the things I need. Also very commendable is their dedication to putting everything on the web--and I'm pleased to work with the people respon sible. (Technology gets #1 priority around here. I'll let Lisa rant about the gradual disassembling of one of our libraries in favor of expanding the computer lab.)

Once again, I'm compelled to blog something everyone else is blogging: Salon's interview with Will Wright, creator of the new computer game that makes me wish I had $40, The Sims. Reviews and articles:

Jump The Shark: "It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it jumping the shark." (Thanks Pop Culture Junk Mail.)

Vib Ribbon appears to be the delightfully minimalist Playstation game it's made out to be. The game comes with levels based on six included songs, but "[t]he meat of the gameplay, however, comes fro m a single, ingenious feature: gamers can create levels from their own music CDs. Just drop the CD in and watch as Vib Ribbon works its magic, creating a level that matches the tempo and tone of the music." The rules sung by the main character is worth the 13MB download, and then check out video of an easy level ("Laughs and Beats", 8.2MB). If that looks too easy, see also video of a more difficult level ("Everytime You Touch Me", 8.8MB). (Vibri is a guy?) (Thanks twernt.)