E-mail Newsletters

First Published: NetAnswers Internet Extra newsletter
Date Published: 1998
Copyright © 1998 by Kevin Savetz


I've just returned from a week in Phoenix, Arizona, where staying inside to read e-mail provides a convenient excuse to stay out of the blistering heat outdoors. Of the countless e-mail messages that appear in my e-mail box, newsletters are among the most interesting. So this issue we'll take a look at five outstanding Net newsletters. They're all filled with interesting information about computers or the Internet. They're all free, and they're all worth reading even if you aren't simply hiding from sweltering heat.

Edupage. If you're interested in news about information technology, for professional reasons or just because you're a nerd, read Edupage. Published three times a week, Edupage provides snippets of news stories about the Internet, developments in hardware, software and other technology. A ten-minute read, it's an easy way to stay on top of technology news.

The latest issue of Edupage is always available at http://webserv.educom.edu/edupage/edupage.new -- check it out. To subscribe for e-mail delivery, send mail

To: listproc@educause.unc.edu

Message body: subscribe edupage

Internet Tourbus. The Internet Tourbus is a great newsletter. Geared towards new Internet users, its topics are, well, a whole lot like those in the NetAnswers Internet Extra. If you're new to the Net, the Tourbus is required riding, but it's not a newsletter that you'll outgrow quickly. Published twice a week (how do all these other guys manage to be so prolific?), the Tourbus covers useful web sites, Internet hoaxes, web searching strategies, lots of good stuff.

To read the current issue or subscribe to the Internet Tourbus, visit http://www.tourbus.com.

Netsurfer Digest. If surfing the web is your thing, the aptly named Netsurfer Digest is the newsletter for you. Published weekly, each issue offers quick introductions to a couple dozen notable web sites. Some are useful, some are fun, and some are just plain weird. There's something interesting in each issue -- Netsurfer digest is a great way to stay on top of what's new on the Web.

You can read the latest issue or subscribe to e-mail updates at http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/. By the way, if science is your thing, take a look at NSD's sister publication, Netsurfer Science (http://www.netsurf.com/nss/). It's much like Netsurfer Digest but focuses on science and technology sites, neatly arranged into categories like earth systems, zoology and chemistry.

TidBITS. This one's a must-read for Macintosh users. This weekly newsletter provides in-depth articles on all facets of life with a Mac. From reviews of interesting new software to in-depth how-to guides (like how to share files with your pesky Windows-using coworkers) TidBITS provides something interesting each week. Not everything in there is Mac-exclusive (one recent issue included enlightening articles on dealing with e-mail spam and stolen computers -- neither Mac-specific issues) so you pesky Windows users might take a look, too.

To read the current issue or subscribe to TidBITS, point your web browser to http://www.tidbits.com.

Download Dispatch. Download.com is a fantabulous web site -- a massive archive of downloadable software. It's usually the first place I go (and the only place I need to go) when I'm looking for a particular shareware or freeware program. The folks who run the site also publish a newsletter, called Download Dispatch. Each week, the Dispatch reveals the site's most popular downloads, includes reviews of "new software you can't live without" and provides information about free software upgrades. There are two editions of the newsletter: one for PC and one for Mac, so you can just read about programs for your computer. To subscribe, visit http://www.download.com and press the "Free newsletter" link.

=*=*= SITES MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE =*=*=

Edupage: http://webserv.educom.edu/edupage/edupage.new

Internet Tourbus: http://www.tourbus.com

TidBITS: http://www.tidbits.com

Netsurfer Digest: http://www.netsurf.com/nsd/

Netsurfer Science: http://www.netsurf.com/nss/

Download Dispatch: http://www.download.com


Articles by Kevin Savetz