December 3-4 1996, San Francisco
Looking to create the next AltaVista? The Searcher will focus on leading-edge search technologies. Find out how to power up Web sites with advanced search technology and smart agents. Contact: +1 (408) 541 1500, email info@verity.com, on the Web at www.verity.com/whatsnew/searcher.html.Indulge in the old SF tradition of ice skating at the Embarcadero Centre, or take a spin round the fun fair on the roof of the Emporium Building. Christmas spirits can be had at La Rondalla, but don't be fooled - the tasteful decorations stay up all year round.
December 3-4 1996, New York
Bringing together the online media buying and selling communities, this event focuses on the Net as a "value proposition". Contact: +1 (212) 780 6060, fax +1 (212) 780 6075, on the Web at www.jup.com.Film addicts can spot the next Spike Lee at the New York Expo of Short Film and Video, a showcase for new independent shorts. From November 20 to 23, animation, documentary and experimental works can be seen at the New School in Greenwich Village; Cyberfeld's cybercafe has CD-ROMs and Web pages on view. Contact: +1 (212) 505 7742, email rswbc@cunyvm.cuny.edu, on the Web at www.yrd.com/nyexpo.
December 3-5 1996, London
The oldest and largest online exhibition in Europe celebrates its 20th birthday in 1996 but, despite its age, it remains right up-to-date - this year's themes include information as a strategic resource, consumer online services, digital publishing and next-generation software. Registration: £576 before November 1, £640 thereafter. Contact: (01865) 388 000, fax (01865) 736 354, email registrations@learned.co.uk, on the Web at info.learned.co.uk/.As a prelude to Online Info, take a trip out of town to the multi-location Media Link 96, which takes place in Canterbury and Folkestone on this side of the Channel and Coquelles and Boulogne on the other. Organised by a group of like-minded media types from the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, it runs from November 21 to 23 and features film, video, animation, multimedia, performance and a good deal of hanging out. Contact: Mike Sutton, email 106116.3030@compuserve.com.
January 3-5 1997, London
This celebration is organised by the anime aces at Con-T, the London Anime Club, and the fanzine Red Leopard. Activities will include talks from fanatics and a workshop on anime for women. Registration: £25 until November 30, £30 thereafter. Contact: email shinnenkai@hpsound.demon.co.uk, on the Web at 194.177.182.12/lac/shinnen.htm.Doom fanatics should check out the new Shoot 'n Surf cafe in London's New Oxford Street, which boasts 16 networked PCs and the latest multi-player games. This should put them in fine fettle to do battle in the January Sales.
January 6-9 1997, Kapalua, Hawaii
Drawing biologists and computer scientists from academia and the biotech industry, this symposium will look at topics such as protein structure prediction, intelligent databases and computing with biomolecules. Contact: +1 (619) 658 9782, fax +1 (619) 658 9463, email psb@intsim.com, on the Web at www.cgl.ucsf.edu/psb/.Feeling fit and flowery? Try climbing the 10,023-foot-high volcano in the Haleakala National Park, where silversword grows. The plant is a rosette of silvery leaves which, after 50 years, grows a single flower as a spectacular swan song. Or you could always just clock up some beach time with the laptop and the suntan oil.