Recommended Links
These are links I've found useful and/or interesting. Some of them offer free downloads, others offer free advice, and still others offer nothing aside from entertainment. Check them out, and don't forget to take the Survey if you haven't already.
Note: All links will open in a new window, so you can keep this list open for further browsing.
Merriam-Webster Browser Plug-In
This little jewel creates an additional toolbar in your web browser that sports a dandy little drop-down textbox and arrangeable buttons. Just type any word into the textbox and click Dictionary or Thesaurus for an instant online lookup in the Collegiate versions of either text.
For an even easier approach, just highlight any word in the webpage you're viewing and click one of the toolbar's buttons. All responses pop up in a new, small window that won't interfere with the page you're viewing. As an added bonus, the toolbar remembers the words you look up between restarts, so you can refresh your memory minutes or days later.
Get the plug-in, and stop riffling through your desk dictionary over websites that use words like "myoclonic," "pleonastic," and "swarthy."
Do a lot of research online? Ever wish you could remember which site that really cool quote was on? Well, if you've got IE 4 or better, this is definitely the tool for you. iMarkup integrates into your IE 4+ browser and allows you to put notes on live webpages. You can paint, add sticky-notes, or highlight text. Then you can add comments, categories, and more to your annotations. The program even lets you veiw customizable lists of your notes, so you can veiw by website or topic. iMarkup will remember you notes without downloading the page to your PC, but you can take a snapshot of it if you want. Finally, you can import and export your notes, so you can send them to a friend, from home to office, etc. This has proven invaluable for me. Get the free 30-day trial, and check it out.
Levenger - Tools for Serious Readers
One of my favorite stores. The catalogues are great, the pens are amazing, and everything else is icing on the cake. They have some of the niftiest tools you'll find anywhere for readers and writers (despite their slogan). And many of their gizmos and doomawhichies are exclusively produced by them. Look for fantastic deals in the Sales section, but don't overlook the non-sale items -- their prices are reasonable all around. And don't be afraid to request a free catalog -- they won't bombard your mailbox with twice-weekly flyers. If reading is your thing, this will be your new favorite toystore.