People in your network neighborhood

Google is your friend, but not a very good one. He writes down everything you say and compiles statistics on what you do. He rarely answers your questions; instead, he hands you the card of someone who might know the answer, and you can't help but notice that he has written on the card "for a good time call..." or a suggestion that a guy on the cornet of Elm and Wesson can hook you up with the stuff you want.

Wikipedia is your friend, but not a very sane one. Most of the time she has an answer to your question. Sometimes she blathers on and on without telling you anything new. Sometimes she obsesses on a topic for minutes on end. And every so often she lies to you, sometimes blatantly, or insults you for no obvious reason. Later she changes her mind.

Boing-Boing is your crazy friend who has a hundred ideas every time you talk to him. Sometimes he gets fixated on a topic for a day or two at a time. Entertaining, but keep at arm's length if you value your sanity.

W00t! owns a secondhand shop behind Main Street. Every morning he puts his latest haul out on the front sidewalk, and you've noticed that it's always either refurbished stuff that you could get new, with a better warranty, for only a few dollars more, or it looks superficially nice but it's not the one you would buy if you actually went out to get one. He thinks he's much funnier than he actually is.

People in your network neighborhood

Google is your friend, but not a very good one. He writes down everything you say and compiles statistics on what you do. He rarely answers your questions; instead, he hands you the card of someone who might know the answer, and you can't help but notice that he has written on the card "for a good time call..." or a suggestion that a guy on the cornet of Elm and Wesson can hook you up with the stuff you want.

Wikipedia is your friend, but not a very sane one. Most of the time she has an answer to your question. Sometimes she blathers on and on without telling you anything new. Sometimes she obsesses on a topic for minutes on end. And every so often she lies to you, sometimes blatantly, or insults you for no obvious reason. Later she changes her mind.

Boing-Boing is your crazy friend who has a hundred ideas every time you talk to him. Sometimes he gets fixated on a topic for a day or two at a time. Entertaining, but keep at arm's length if you value your sanity.

W00t! owns a secondhand shop behind Main Street. Every morning he puts his latest haul out on the front sidewalk, and you've noticed that it's always either refurbished stuff that you could get new, with a better warranty, for only a few dollars more, or it looks superficially nice but it's not the one you would buy if you actually went out to get one. He thinks he's much funnier than he actually is.