** 1 page regular / 674 words **

Site Seeing
Jonathan Nott returns and checks out more Atari sites on the internet (with a little help from his friends)...

Application Systems Heidelberg Homepage
http://members.aol.com/ashinfo/

** ASH.GIF here **
ASH have become the Microsoft of Atari platform and with the takeover and release of CAB 2 as a commercial product now offer products covering most areas of interest.
Their web site is launched from an entirely German front page, but the link to a well-translated English version is quite clear. Apart from the main feature, currently a PC/Mac flight simulator, the index page contains a large table of contents. There's plenty to see although much of the content is for the PC/Mac platforms.
However, their Atari products are covered in an appropriate level of detail.
Overall the graphics are sparse and unexciting, with haphazard layout and no obvious navigation system.
Rating: 65%

Croft Soft on the Internet
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/polonowski/csotn/
** Website of month logo here **
** CRFTSOFT.GIF here **
Croft Soft Software is the brainchild of Colin Polonowski, well known in the Atari community for his games which include Mole Mayhem and the Atari Times HTML magazine.
The web site is extremely well presented with simple but effective graphics and a clear layout.
Comprehensive information includes news, updates, releases and contact details and they can all be accessed easily from the main menu. The Atari Times HTML magazine is available directly from the Croft Soft pages. The on-line pages provide an excellent companion to the Croft Soft releases.
There's also a link to Colin's home page which features other good general interest pages.
Rating: 86%

Atari2600.com
http://www.atari2600.com/

** 2600_COM.GIF here **
This is one of a series of web sites dedicated to various classic video game platforms, known as "JerryG Classic Gold Video Game Collectables Sites". It appears to be non-commercial and is a treasure trove of information about these Atari consoles.
The site is divided into sections including a Video Game museum, 2600 games list and a for sale advertisements page. Visitors are also invited to submit their own 2600 related sites for inclusion on the Classic Gold Links page.
The site is an interesting design where the background image depicts the actual case of a 2600 console and the icons are based on the infamous toggle switches featured on these machines. The combination of graphics and navigation tools make this site both intuitive and pleasant to browse.
Rating: 72%

FaST Club
http://www.cix.co.uk/~sta/
** FAST256.GIF here **
** Website of the month logo here **
This is the web site of the Nottingham based FaST Club, formerly the ST Club. The home page is spilt into five main sections News, Atari Links, ST Applications, Catalogue and Help.
The FaST Club publishes the ST Applications magazine. Between STA58 and STA69 the magazine was dual format with HTML versions available for browsing and download on-line and as a printed magazine.
From STA70 ST Applications has reverted to a printed magazine only and the website is about to get a facelift, I quote:
** Italics on **
We will be introducing a truly interactive and constantly updated web site. The new format will mean the news and forum submissions in the web version will form the basis of the printed magazine - rather than the reverse, which is currently the unsatisfactory state of affairs".
** Italics **
We'll certainly be re-visiting this site to check on progress.
The links section provides some excellent information on contact detail's and email addresses covering most aspects of the Atari market.
The excellent Catalogue section includes complete details of the clubs' entire product range - simply click on a product link and you're presented with useful details.
There's a great deal of information on these pages and finding your way around is simplicity itself proving once again the importance of design and a thoughtful approach.
Les Charles/Joe Connor
Rating: 85%

** boxout **
** FUJIZONE.GIF here **
All sites reviewed in Site Seeing are catalogued, along with many others, at Fujizone; the central web resource for Atari users.
** bc on **
URL: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/fujizone/
** bc off **
** end **