DAVE McMANUS samples an Internet rollercoaster and highlights a DIY CD Rom service

As someone who can feel dizzy just standing on tiptoes, I have trouble understanding the appeal of rollercoasters, let alone the people who travel around the globe to ride them. But now you can experience many of the major rides from all over the world without leaving your armchair (or computer desk, to be more accurate).

Strap yourself in for a visit http://travel. discovery.com/ideas/adventrv/coaster/coaster.html where you can take your pick from such monstrous constructions as Son of Beast and The Boss.

You will need the latest version of the video software RealPlayer, downloadable from www.real.com, to enjoy the thrills, but that's no bad thing, because there is plenty more you can do with it than scare yourself silly hurtling up and down rickety tracks in a trolley.

Whatever does it for you, I suppose.

Altavista, the Internet company that first stirred up the buzz around unmetered Net access in Britain, has finally announced the launch of its service. Subscribers will have to pay an initial charge of 51 and an as-yet undisclosed annual renewal fee, in order to receive free surf time. The charge is higher than was first suggested by Altavista, who put the increase down to the fact that they want to limit the amount of advertising bombarding the user.

The unknown renewal fee is a bit of a sticking point and it seems likely that many potential users will be cautious about subscribing if it is still undisclosed when the service launches at the end of June, especially with so many other companies now offering an unmetered service in the wake of Altavista's announcement.

You can learn more at www.altavista.co.uk.

High street retailer, WH Smith, has launched a new service that will be of tremendous use to computer users. It is installing software-burning system in some of its stores that allows customers to create personalised CD Roms.

The system, called SoftWide, is only available in seven of Smith's largest stores, but the plan is to launch it across the country by the end of the year. Tribeka, the manufacturer behind SoftWide, has copyright agreements with more than 75 publishers of leading software titles allowing consumers to burn their own CDs in-store.

Shoppers use a touch screen to select the software they require and can even personalise their CD with a chosen message. The disc is then created in-store for immediate sale.

According to Tribeka, retailers will make significant savings by using its system, with "vastly reduced outlays on stock and display space, as well as completely overcoming the traditional problems of loss through pilferage and obsolescence". Hopefully, some of this saving will be passed down to you and me. Flash animation is being used to create some really fun sites and they don't come much better than www.globz.com. Globz serve no purpose whatsoever other than to amuse you with their disco dancing antics, but they are a great example of the amazing stuff that can be done on the Web. Go click a Glob today!