Laurence recently posted about the transformation of our habits due to the wider availability of information via the Internet. To paraphrase, he’s noticed that he’s gone from whining about not being able to look up an actor’s filmography during a movie or TV show to not being able to resist hopping on IMDb every five minutes. Or something like that.
Every day I find myself in the same boat:
I need to know what musicals Rodgers and Hammerstein did… IMDb.
I need to know the tracks on the Beatles’ Revolver CD… Amazon.
I need to know that it’s “effrontery” not “affrontery”… Dictionary.com.
I need to know how to get from the St. Louis airport to Cuba, MO… MapQuest.
I need to know the showtimes for Chicago… DigitalCity Orlando.
I need to know the origin of the phrase “hat trick” (or anything not covered by the above)… Google.
I don’t think there is a single day that has gone by since Google was invented that I have not used it. What’s really sad is that I’ve come to use it as a crutch. I know the answer to your question… I just can’t remember it. Ever.
I know there are different (and possibly better) tools out there, but these are the ones I have come to rely upon. When they come out with versions that plug directly into my brain, I’ll be standing in line.
Is there a site that you use as a daily tool? One that would cut your heart out if it went away?
I couldn’t live without Google either. I use them at LEAST 5 times a day, for everything from directions and phone numbers to etymology and history. Google, IMDb, and Merriam Webster Dictionary are my faves. The nice thing about m-w is that they let you highlight a word anywhere online, and right click to get the definition in a new window. 🙂
Well, I’ve never had a good memory. (For instance, I met you, and I can’t remember your real name! If my name wasn’t on my driver’s license, I’d probably forget that too.) I would have gone through life forgetting everything I knew five minutes ago it if wasn’t for the internet. Ah, the internet, brain substitute for the memory-impaired.
My secret plan of putting my name next to the copyright at the bottom of the page as a diversionary tactic is working! mwahahaha!
Google. Anytime someone at work needs to know something fast, they hit me up to google it for them. (No one here at work knows jack about the internet, so it totally makes me look like I know things–secret things. Which I totally do.) 😉
TV Guide Soaps. The daily recaps, so I know what’s going on on every single soap. Because I don’t have anything better to do with my life.
As for truly useful things, I love that I can do an inter-library loan from my local library from my computer. Last night I requested about 10 books. I love it. It saves so much time.
after Google and IMDB…
411wrestling.com
http://shop.celebs-online.com/ (not work safe- I just love having to say that!)
and Solonor.com, of course.
papajohns.com you can order pizza online without having to talk to those funny talking southerners whom I still don’t understand.
and Google…It makes me look smart, or I should say, it stops from looking like a dumbass ALL the time 😉
The Visual Thesaurus is cool, especially if you love words………
Gotta be google — followed by, as you referenced, IMDB, Amazon, maybe Drudge, too. Truly can’t imagine a world without Google.