Out of the Dark Ages of computing sprang a new invention, a network of networks, or the aptly-named Internet we've all come to love and hate. For a long time, people wondered whether this was a positive or negative development. Eventually, the conclusive results could no longer be denied: the Internet is a terrible, terrible place.

Here and there, however, beacons of hope flare in the darkness, gleam brightly for a while, and then, sputtering, die. These beacons give us hope that one day, perhaps, the utopian ideal of rational debate and freely-shared information will become a reality.

In the meantime, we have sites like Aranai.

So, welcome. This is the fifth version of Aranai (though only the fourth to bear the name). Prior incarnations have been (chronologically, from most recent to oldest) dark, shiny, round, square and angled. These versions can be seen here:

• Aranai 2006: dark, freeform
• Aranai 2005: bright, shiny, round
• Aranai 2004: dark, square, ugly
• Elsewhere: bright, angular, hideous

Note that these sites are kept available only for the purpose of user interest, and are not guaranteed to function completely, or at all.

My name is Steven Richards. I am a freelance web developer and graphic designer currently residing in Independence, OR (near Salem). I push buttons for a living, and study from other button-pushers at Western Oregon University. One day, I hope to become a certified button-pusher; I hear it pays better.

In addition to building websites, I tinker with computer graphics (primarily the 3-dimensional variety), write (fantasy and science fiction), maintain the Deep Magic e-zine's many websites, eat and, on occasion, sleep.

I was born on April 8th, 1986, and have been living ever since. That makes me slightly older than some people and younger than several others.

Although I am generally infallible, from time to time broken links or other errors inexplicably appear on the Aranai website. If you discover one of these, you can let me know at the following e-mail address: broken@aranai.com.

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