JACKSON WEB SITE CELEBRATES TWO YEARS ON-LINE

What started as an idea of two energetic college students has proven to be a boon for Jackson.

The Jackson web page has grown in its dimension and scope since its grand opening two years ago this month and is helping spread word of the city across the world's cyber bands.

"It's been well-received said Lisa Smith of FAQulty and Staff, the site's web master. "Until the last four months, we had been averaging about 35 or so hits per month. The last four months the average has been about 75. Last month it was 121."

The Internet web site, co-sponsored by the city of Jackson and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, is offering a plethora of gifts and bonuses to web visitors this month, celebrating Jackson's second anniversary as a cyber world destination. Smith said people are taking advantage of the promotion.

"The first day of June was had more than 200 hits," she said.

The web site has grown and has undergone several changes since its inception. One involves the changing index of the web site. The former index of the web site was a unique visual and audio combination. A large Jackson city limits sign loomed commandingly out of a black background, while music played. While an informal survey taken by Smith seemed to indicate that more web surfers liked the style and originality of the old index, it was decided to add a new index. The new one is less original, but more consistent with the rest of the site.

"The old index was somewhat dark and foreboding and played music, which some people did not like," Smith explained. "It was also a very dark page, in contrast with the white pages in the rest of the site. The chamber and the city requested a change."

Originally the brain child of Jackson natives Chris Dittmer and Jon Mark Milde, both students at Washington University in St. Louis, the site is now administered by Smith and her staff, Jodie Rousse and Billy Schwent, as well as her husband Brad. Bryan Smith, currently in New York, helps with site maintenance.

"We work closely with the chamber and city on posting information that people will find useful," Smith said, "like the community bulletin board, 'Sports Brag' page, 'Ask a Geek,' and a listing of local job openings."

She noted that she recently received an individual's resume and that at some point in the future a listing of individuals seeking jobs might also be added.

Although it is tempting for an Internet-user to think that "everyone" is now on-line, Smith believes the cyber world is still in its infancy.

"Right now there are not enough computers in households and not enough Internet access to say it's reached its potential as it stands today," she said. "It would be really interesting to know what percentage of households have Internet access. I think it's really low.

"Until more people are on-line and know the web site is there as a resource, it will pretty well stay the same. As soon as more people in Jackson get on-line, they will indicate which direction it goes."

In the mean time, Smith is here to do whatever is asked of her.

"My own goal is to make it as useful as possible to the people of Jackson," she said.

Pages on the Jackson site include the city of Jackson, businesses, sights, info/events, "the 5 W's," and "about." The "5 W's," of course, are who (present and past Jacksonians with their own web sites), what (Jackson population trends), when (city history), where (interactive map) and why (reasons to relocate here).

The second anniversary celebration has seen a number of local businesses offer prizes. June giveaways include a free jacksonmo.com e-mail address, one free week of Internet training and a free web page from FAQulty and Staff; a pair of St. Louis Cardinal tickets from Schaper's IGA; a free movie rental form Super Video Warehouse, free tennis lessons from the Jackson Parks Department, two free lessons from Jackson Moo Sul Kwan Martial Arts; four car wash tokens and a month of free storage from Shawnee Square Car wash and Storage and a four car wash tokens from Independence Car Wash.

Next week the USA Signal will look at individuals who have chosen to build their own personal web sites and link to the Jackson site.