Software

While there are many websites around that are dedicated to shareware and freeware, I have found Download.Com to be most useful and diverse.

Jumbo.Com have also been handy in a bind, and a great place to burn time exploring.

Search Engines

When it comes to search engines, Yahoo and Excite are generally considered to be the biggest and best. If there's a site out there devoted to your bizarre topic, chances are one of these two will have found it first.

If you want to really exhaust all avenues or don't mind a little overkill, Dogpile allows you to search several search engines at the same time.

Australian users may like to check out Web Wombat, a search engine dedicated to Australian sites.

Usenet veterans can testify that the Internet can sometimes be a bit of a zoo. But there's also a great deal of information out there. Deja.Com maintains an archive of most newsgroup discussions that have taken place over the past few years. Got a problem? Maybe someone else has had the same, and a discussion on the topic has solved it.

Chat

IRC, or Internet Relay Chat, is a great way to burn spare time and make new friends. mIRC is a popular IRC client, and a shareware version is available for download.

OzOrg is an IRC network based in Australia, home to the channel #melbourne

ICQ is another widely-used chat-based program, allowing you to talk with any other users who are currently online.

Games and Gaming

If chatting leaves you with any spare time, there are always games to finish the job. Microprose, Electronic Arts and SSI have produced some classics over the years, and expectations of their new releases are generally high.

The growth of the net has also brought about the growth of multiplayer gaming. Kali allows players to arrange and host games with other players around the world, and Case's Internet Gaming Ladder provide a battleground for a wide variety of games.

Fans of RPGs should take a look at the Mud Connector, a catalogue of MUDs and other online games.

Books

Looking for a particular book? Amazon might have it in stock. Online shopping is a good thing.

Music

The Ultimate Band List is a good place to start if you're looking for information on a particular musician or band.

Movies

Likewise, the Internet Movie Database is where you should start if searching for information on a film or television show.