Old stuff, new stuff

No industry has a greater rate of obsolescence than computer software. But have you ever wondered if you really need the latest version of a software program? If you have, then the first site of this week's picks is for you. But if you are happy with the newest in software and can't be bothered with older versions, perhaps you can skip this site and check out the next.

www.oldversion.com

This is the site devoted to the old versions of several popular and in-demand software. It is an archive of 128 versions of 17 programs, which include such hot favourites as Adobe Acrobat, GetRight, ICQ, mIRC, MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger, RealPlayer, Winamp and WinZip. The site, which probably has one of the simplest and cleanest layouts, is founded on the premise that upgrading to a newer version is not always a good thing or the recommended thing to do.

For instance, the computer may not be compatible with the new version, or the latest version itself may fall short of expectations and you may want to get back to the older version but don't have the installation file.You can always let the folks at the site know of an old version you are in need of, and they'll add it to the archive. The site also accepts contributions in the form of any old installation files.

www.soyouwanna.com

There are so many things somebody or the other wants to know - it may vary from how to write a business plan to how to play poker. This is the place where you wanna go if you wanna know how to do a million things.

As the site claims, Soyouwanna.com teaches you how to do all the things nobody taught you in school. And there are a helluva lot of things you don't get to learn at school, right?

An intriguing and truly different site, this one's a well-ordered and well-designed site with the right colours in the right proportion. You can end your wild goose-chase at the `The Great Goosini's Amazing Page', which offers all sorts of explanations online.

The answers are arranged alphabetically and by category, so you can jump in according to convenience. The folks have thrown in a few other channels for good measure, like movie reviews and top ten lists. There are also bulletin boards where you can exchange information or tips with like-minded curious people from all over the world. So, the next time you wanna know how to mix a few classic drinks, how to run a marathon, just drop in.

Compiled by C. Ramesh