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Welcome to another round of the Sacramento InterneT Excellence (SITE) Awards. This is year three and the quality and quantity of local web sites are making the decision process increasingly difficult. Yet through much deliberation, half a bag of Chex Mix, and plenty of soda our judges managed to narrow the field down to these sites. There was no scientific strategy or predetermined notion as to the probable winners, we merely wanted to group together what is felt to be the summit of Sacramento and the surrounding area's best sites. | |
Best Personal Homepage & Most Bizarre Site | |
Evan Myquest and Dave Smith have radically different views regarding the
importance of the Internet. But when it comes down to it, the aesthetics
that drive their personal homepages, Mikey’s Pop Horror Basement and Archbishop Dave Smith, are
rooted in the same basic archetype. As winners for this
year’s SITE Awards for Personal Homepage and Most Bizarre Site, the
categorization of such amounts to little more than a technical splitting
of hairs. Each is a forum for its Webmaster’s personal views, an outlet
for expression, a sanctuary for ideas. But while Myquest embraces the idea
that improving technology will someday allow the Internet experience to
supersede the live experience, Smith doesn’t like that notion. Life on the
Web, he says, is cold and remote. You can’t really share it with anyone.
There’s no real shared experience. This isn’t exactly a matter of who is
right and who is wrong. With approximately two billion Web sites clogging
cyberspace, it seems nearly everyone has staked out a claim—then fixed it
up according to their specific needs and wants. Like homesteaders settling
the West, we’re driven to possess our own little corner of the world.
Any guess about how many homepages there are altogether? in Sac? If
e-commerce and day trading are the lifeblood that keeps money pumping
through the Net’s arteries and informational sites the backbone that keep
the Web useful, then
personal homepages are its very heart and soul. For a relatively cheap sum
(often as low as $20 a month) you can build a Web page devoted to your
favorite hobbies—deep sea diving, stamp collecting, bingo, your favorite
pop star (Ricky Martin! Brittany Spears!, Monica!), your favorite rant
(Pro NRA! Anti-NRA!). Whatever the subject, whatever the cause, whatever
the whatever, it just doesn’t matter. You’re paying for it. You’re
building it. With today’s easy-to-use Web page builders, you don’t even
have to learn tricky HTML code. You’re the author, editor and publisher.
You have the power. It is, as Myquest explains, “like the concept of
narrowcasting. It’s where you go to get me.” Myquest has been building his
Pop Horror Basement for more than four years now. Since its inception,
he’s watched it move from darkness into the light. “When it started out, I
wanted it real dark and then as I got into, it just got funny,” explains
Myquest. “I decided it’s not high literature by any means; it’s pop and
that’s what I like about it. I kept the aspirations low and just kept
adding to it.” | |
General Excellence | |
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The best aspect of The Sacramento
Zoo web site is that it’s so colorful, friendly, and
just plain fun to navigate that it leaves no doubt a trip to the zoo
itself must be much the same experience. The home page features eight
major links to information about the zoo—each with a corresponding
brilliant color animal photo. The categories are: Zoo News, Zoo Gallery,
Membership, Zoo Pa  rents, Party at
the Zoo, Zoo Educational, Kids’ Fun and Visitors’ Information. Read up on
your favorite animal, learn more about various zoo programs or adopt a
pet. The features are simple, kid-friendly yet adult-savvy. In addition to
joining the Sacramento Zoological Society online, you can also print out
directions to the zoo and a map of its features. And, if you’ve got the
right plug-ins, the site’s best feature is an awesome virtual tour that
gives you a panoramic view from inside an animal cage. With its
beautifully rendered graphics, helpful information and intelligent
handsome design, the Sac Zoo web site should inspire you to head right on
over to William Land Park and experience the real thing. —Marcus Crowder
Judges’ comments “The design on this site is excellent. I like the actual recording of the tiger roaring. I know it’s meant for kids, but I had fun zooming around the pictures.” —Joe Scuderi | |
Best Arts & Entertainment | |
As the judges were browsing through nominees for the 1999 SITE Awards,
we noticed an interesting similarity among submissions. Regardless of the
category, a healthy-sized percentage of the sites nominated focused on the
local music scene. So it’s no sur prise,
really, when this year’s award for best Arts & Entertainment site goes
to the online hangout for area musicians, xenophilia.com. As a showcase for both the band
of the same name and open mike night at the hip downtown cafe, Capitol
Garage, Xenophilia.com is a fertile breeding ground for local bands
seeking free publicity. From photos to sound clips, a message board and
band links, the site’s Open Mike section features the goods on dozens of
bands. And, as popular as the site is locally, it also boasts hits from as
far away as New York and Russia. “For many local bands and performers,
Xenophilia.com is their first appearance on the Web,” explains Webmaster
Joe Scuderi (aka Xenophilia guitarist “Xeno,” Scuderi is also a 1999 SITE
award judge). “It’s exciting to see so much talent every week at the open
mike and I want to make them all famous.” Scuderi admits the site has also
been a boon for his own band as well. “You always hear about people doing
great things with the Internet and you say, ‘Oh that’s splendid, why
didn’t I think of that?’ ” he says. “Well this time I did! The site has
been called a stroke of marketing genius. Local musicians tell me they
check the site each week to see themselves and their friends and while
they are at it, they check on the next Xenophilia show.” “The free
publicity has really boosted attendance at Xenophilia’s local shows,” he
continues. “In a city of 1.5 million people, I knew there’d be at least 30
people who would absolutely love our music; I just had to find them. The
Web site has done that. Now I just have to figure out how to find another
30 fans—the ones without computer.” —Rachel Leibrock Judges’ comments
“This site is nothing other than fantastic. Not only can you obtain info
on this great band, but you can get tons of links and information
regarding local art, museums, bands, clubs and Sacramento. Any fan of
local arts and entertainment can expect to spend hours poring over this
very well-put together site.” —Ashley Merveau | |
Our Judges | |
| Joe Scuderi is a Web/Database expert at the UC Davis Internship and Career Center. He also is the Webmaster behind Xenophilia, a local site devoted to Sacramento area music. | |
| Rachel Leibrock is Writer-At-Large for the Sacramento News & Review and wrote the paper's one-time Web column, Where It's @. | |
| Ashley and Desiree Merveau are sisters who won the 1998 SITE Award for best Teen-Produced Web site, Sacramento Rocks!. Desiree is in her junior year at high school while Ashley is currently studying at Cosumnes River College. | |
| Todd Perez is the New Media Developer for the Sacramento News & Review & web surfing danger boy. | |