W
illiams: dead. Gottlieb: dead. Sega:
dead. The biggest names in pinball
manufacturing have all shut their
doors, but their glass and solenoid tables endure
in surprisingly true-to-original form, thanks
to Visual Pinball and PinMAME computer
simulation. Visual Pinball is a table editor/game
engine; PinMAME emulates the actual proces-
sors and ROM chips that powered the fi nal
wave of real-world tables. Once you install both
programs, you can rifl e through the Internet’s
generous collection of tables and ROM fi les for
the pinball games that once ate all your quarters.
Getting started is a bit confusing, as this
virtual pinball thing is documented in only the
most haphazard manner, but once you get your
fi rst table a-blingin’ and a-blangin’, you’ll be
overcome with joy. Your key starting place for
soft ware, tables, and ROMs is http://www.vpforums.
com, which has links to downloads and a vibrant
user community. Just remember you’ll need four
ingredients to actually play: Visual Pinball, Pin-
MAME, table fi les, and ROM images appropriate
to those tables.Play the Most Celebrated Tables in Pinball History
http://www.maximumpc.com|NOV 08 |MAMAMAXIMXIMXIMXIMUUUUMMPPPCC| 23
Make the Most of
Google Alerts
G
oogle Alerts will notify you, via email or RSS feed,
whenever a particular search returns new results.
You can confi gure everything from the frequency
of the search to the number of terms searched for. You can
check out and confi gure the service at http://www.google.com/
alerts, but we have a few sample uses you can try. Vanity Searches Want to see who’s talking
about you online? Set up a search for your name,
nickname, or handle to fi nd out why your ears are
burning.
Follow Your Favorite Team/Celebrity/Topic A
search based on the subjects you’re passionate about
set to a daily update will send an auto-generated
custom newsletter to your mailbox.
Add a Search to Your RSS Reader Once you’ve
created a Google Alert, you can fi nd its unique RSS
feed on the results page. Once you have that, you
can add it to any RSS reader you use.Map Your Run or Bike Ride
T
he computer usually tempts us to stay inside rather than to
get some exercise, but Map My Run (www.mapmyrun.com)
keeps us motivated. The site allows you to not only create
and share maps of your runs and rides but also keep an online
training log and list of goals. Skip the $5/month premium member-
ship, though—you get all the good stuff for free.I Can Use
My Computer
FOR THAT?!