Single Serving Sites
March 31st, 2009 Brian Herzog
The internet is endlessly innovative and entertaining. My current favorite phenomena is Single Serving Sites - websites that do only one thing.
In stark contrast to the "be everything to everyone" mentality, these one-off'ers are kind of refreshing. Most of them can't even be called "websites," because they consist of only one web page - but, for a fraction of a minute, they serve a purpose. Here's a list of my favorites:
Useful Sites
- DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com - very handy when it comes to library public computers
- WhatIsMyIP.org - I can never remember
- ThePostalRate.com and PriceOfAStamp.com - something I get asked frequently (my answer: buy forever stamps)
- DoIHaveIt.com not actually an SSS, but I like it
- WhatTimeIsIt.com - for those us who don't wear a watch (also, also also)
- Terror-Alert.com - current Threat Level
- KeepMeOut.com - prevents addicts from visiting a particular website for a set amount of time
Weather Sites
- GoingToRain.com
- UmbrellaToday.com - also sends email/text alerts
- DoINeedAnUmbrella.com
- Blaccuweather.com - the weather in Quahog, RI
Silly Sites
- LetMeGoogleThatForYou.com and JustFuckingGoogleIt.com - librarian job security in a can
- IsItTuesday.com
- HasTheLargeHadronColliderDestroyedTheWorldYet.com
- DoWebsitesNeedToLookExactlyTheSameInEveryBrowser.com - try this page in different browsers
- d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y.com - so you'll never misspell that word again
- IsLostARepeat.com - this would be great for almost any show
- IsItChristmas.com
- WhatColorIsTheEmpireStateBuilding.com - maybe more interesting to New Yorkers; I'd also like to see one for Niagara Falls
- DeathClock.com - find out when you will die (not Dethklok)
- InternetLastPage.com - where the Internet ends
Once you start looking for these, it almost seems that they outnumber regular websites. Check out longer lists of single-serving sites here and here. Also, IsThisYourPaperOnSingleServingSites.com is worth reading - I hope he got an A.
