Date:

From:

Subject:

To:

Dear Fred,

Firstly I would like to congratulate you on an excellent site.

I was wondering how profitable it is for you (since travel is one of the most profitable businesses on the Internet).

I was Marketing Manager of a newspaper in Perth, and my design and Internet marketing strategy more than doubled their annual profits (increased by $140 000). I have achieved similar results for several other businesses.

Full details are available at my WWW site http://www.<address withheld>.

I thought you might be interested to discuss with me how to increase the profitability of your publication by getting some specialist Internet marketing advice.

Kindest Regards,

Scott <surname withheld>.

etc

Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 15:42:18

From:

Subject:

To:

Dear Scot

Ted Frenkel is not my real name. It is a nom de plume.

> Dear Fred,

As for Fred, well I don't know who he is, but if you are going to send me unsolicited e-mail could you at least have the decency to get the fictional name right...

> Firstly I would like to congratulate you on an excellent site.

Thank you for the compliment. I thought you were sincere until I read the next bit...

I was
> wondering how profitable it is for you (since travel is one of the most
> profitable businesses on the Internet).

It looks like you have been trawling the internet doing keyword searches and have not really done one minute's worth of research to qualify your results... How can I guess this? Well even the most superficial inspection of the Australis 100 would have revealed that it is a joke. A fictional travel guide for a fictional country. I guess the joke's on you.

I was Marketing Manager of a
> newspaper in Perth, and my design and Internet marketing strategy more than
> doubled their annual profits (increased by $140 000). I have achieved
> similar results for several other businesses. Full details are available at
> my WWW site http://www.<address withheld>. I thought you might be
> interested to discuss with me how to increase the profitability of your
> publication by getting some specialist Internet marketing advice.
>
> Kindest Regards,
>
> Scott <surname withheld>.

Scott, if this scattergun approach is any indication of your own specialist internet marketing strategies, then I suggest you close your e-mail account right now. It's plainly not working. And who knows, I may even include this letter on the site...

regards

Simon Kirby

etc

Date:

From:

Subject:

To:

Dear Simon

The issue of long term access to online publications is creating interest among librarians around the world. The National Library of Australia aims to retain in perpetuity a copy of all titles published in Australia in printed form in order to ensure that Australians will have access to the accumulated knowledge, activities and achievements of its citizens in all forms of human endeavour.

In line with the objective, the Library is also committed to preserving selected electronic publications of lasting cultural value for access by the Australian community now and in the future.

For some months, we have been assessing online electronic materials and identifying those that we consider have national significance.

We have set up a project named PANDORA (Preserving and Accessing Networked DOcumentary Resources of Australia) to develop and implement procedures for managing the archiving and provision of long term access to online Australian publications.

We realise that this needs to be done in cooperation with publishers and authors. With your permission, we would like to include Australis 100 in the Project.

I would be grateful if you would let me know whether you are willing to assist us to achieve the goal of an online archive of Australian electronic publications.

If you would like additional information about the Project, you may wish to visit the PANDORA site on the Library's server:

http://www.nla.gov.au/policy/plan/pandora.html

<...>

Yours faithfully

Maxine Fisher

********************************
Maxine Fisher
Librarian
Electronic Unit
National Library of Australia
CANBERRA

The Australis 100 site has been sighted in various locations.

"LookSmart is the largest selective directory on the Internet. Behind each site listing is an editor who has assessed the quality and relevance of the site in relation to its subject."

Australis appears in their category: World / Travel & Vacations / Guides, Maps & Chat /Guides with the following capsule review:

Simon Kirby's weird, satirical travel guide to a fictional destination. Remember - any resemblance to the real world is "purely coincidental.

Perhaps my favourite is on the Matilda site at http://matilda.aaa.com.au/Australian_News2.shtml - their Daily News & Matilda's Top 100 Australian NEWSPAPERS - MAGAZINES

Australis has a permanent spot on this "best list of Australian Writings on the web." (It's funny how some anonymous person using the word "best" can brighten up your whole day...)

Of course I think the most glowing review Australis has received is in the ABC's Explore Your Interests / Arts & Culture / The Virtual Gallery...

A parallel universe, a virtual travel guide. A bright, unusual and intriguing site. Elegantly designed, Australis is a place where you could virtually wile away hours (or is that wile away virtual hours) as you explore the sights of this strange (and strangely familiar) place.

The converse of all this flattering attention are the strange listings Australis has received by people who (to quote Mike Myer's Doctor Evil) "just don't get it."

Yahoo Home : Regional : Countries : Australia : Recreation and Sports : Travel :

Yahoo! Australia & NZ - Recreation:Travel:News and Media:Magazines
Yahoo! Canada - Recreation:Travel:Regional:Countries:Australia:Complete Listing

At http://www.thepassword.com/Magazines/travel/countries/australia/australia7.html
Under ·Magazines:

1. Electronic Journal of Australian and New Zealand History Home Page

2. Time Australia

3. Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Journal

4. Australis 100 - Main

At Old Landscapes, New Eyes: Travel Resources (!)

At Nerd World: TRAVEL GUIDES AND LITERATURE

Thanks for your attention.