Peoples Republic of South Devon

The ‘original’ side of the net

August 29th, 2008

The weekly technology column from those good people at Plymouth’s Orange Crate

The internet is a bit like a sprawling metropolis, with its huge variety of inhabitants, sections, and contents. We are all familiar with the popular central locations such as Google, Facebook, MSN, YouTube etc, but these only make up a fragment of vastness of the web. So what constitutes the rest?

Like many cities, the best parts are not always the most popular parts, and if you take a random route down the back streets you’re bound to find some hidden gems.

Now I’m not encouraging you to explore all avenues of the on line world – we all know that there are some shady parts which should be left well alone – but let’s take a look at a selection of the weird, wacky, endearing, and potentially genius ideas that are hidden on the net.

First up is art. Posted by a Danish blogger and artist Vegard T Magussen, I’m really not sure what to make of this… It appears to tell a story about an odd group of foam people, but I’ll have to leave the extraction of any hidden meanings or significance down to you – concept art is most definitely not my strong point. And if that’s not your cup of tea, then how about this? I’m guessing Joe has a lot of time on his hands…

Everyone who has used stock photography knows that it is a strange world where everybody is attractive and looks a little too happy. Luckily these factors make it easy to mock, as Adventures in Stock Photography humorously proves. Taking classic stock images and putting stories to them is surprisingly hilarious and well worth a quick look.

Next, a testament to false starts and unfinished ideas. One post wonder is a collection of blogs from around the web which were not continued after their opening entry. I don’t know if it’s just me, but reading them reminded me of the fleetingness of our on-line lives – the grand plan of today is neglected and forgotten by tomorrow. Anyway, on-line philosophy 101 aside, check out GraphJam. If you thought that only financial figures and mathematical illustrations could be displayed using graphs, prepare to be amazed! It’s original, it’s funny, and it often hits the nail right on the head.

Finally, how would you feel about spending $1 to see your face as a part of the biggest collage on the web? Web entrepreneur Mark Nayton has developed a site called Face In a Million to help you do just that. The idea is to get a million people to submit a photo of their face along with a one-off payment of $1, and a link to a website, whether it be a profile page, blog, or just a site that says something about who they are. So gradually as the site receives more followers and hits, so will the sites of the members, and everybody is a winner! A full breakdown of the concept can be found here – it’s an honest, coherent, and down-to-earth rationale from a regular guy with an original idea.

Mark confesses openly that he wants the site to make him a million dollars, and isn’t afraid of putting the graft in to make it happen. I for one support his ingenuity and integrity – if only everyone who had an idea followed it through to fruition.

So there you have it - a visit to a mere few of the many ‘treasures’ that are hidden on-line. There are countless more exotic, original, crazy, and thought-provoking sites out there, you just have to know where to look.

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