March 12, 1999

This column is a regular feature in Folio highlighting interesting Web sites. We'd appreciate your input. If you know of good sites you think the university community will be interested in, pass the addresses along to Randy Pavelich, university Web manager at: info@ualberta.ca.

Furby Autopsy
http://www.phobe.com/furby/
The absolute must-have toy for millions of children last Christmas was the Furby. Cute, furry, talkative Furbys had some pretty sophisticated electronic innards which allow them to talk to one another through an infrared port and blink their big lovable eyes. But what do you do when your Furby becomes ill, and eventually dies? This site documents one brave researcher's Furby autopsy. Warning: graphic depictions of electronics and dismembered body mechanisms.

How Stuff Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com/
Ever wondered how an electric screwdriver works? How about a hydraulic press? This is one of those sites you'll revisit time and time again because of the variety of information on it. The author, Marshall Brain, has assembled hundreds of pages describing in clear and understandable terms how stuff works. Something for everyone!

University of Alberta Press
http://www.ualberta.ca/uapress/
The U of A Press Web site is a veritable fountain of information for those on and off campus. Most of the books published by the Press have some local connection through the author or subject, and many of them are groundbreaking, such as the Alberta Elders' Cree Dictionary. The site is fast, bright, and logically arranged - a fine complement to the vital role the Press plays in university operations.

Special thanks to WebWatch Pro Surf Team member Craig Owens

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