READERS' PICK: It's a triumph of modern marketing! Our readers declare StarNet to be the best website in town, even though its home page hasn't been redesigned in years, it's junked up with boring advertising text-links through the top half of the page, and it teases us with sometimes enigmatic headlines that tell us little about the articles they link to--not to mention the fact that StarNet's entire creative staff quit earlier this year. Yes, the Arizona Daily Star was one of the first newspapers to go online, and it sure looks like it. But being first also means it snagged a lot of devoted users, especially since StarNet doubles as an Internet service provider; handing out browsers that automatically open to StarNet's home page ensures lots of hits. StarNet does offer good value--interesting online-only restaurant reviews, searchable TV listings, community info that's useful even though it's five years old, a public forum for carping libertarians, and, for subscribers, an essential 10-year archive of articles dating back to when the Star was dedicated to reporting news. There's definitely profit in nostalgia.
