COLUMN: The Dot introduces a new on-line era for DP

A new name. A new look. A new attitude. Today, we are proud to unveil our newest publication: dailypennsylvanian.com, or, as we like to call it, the Dot. Our guiding mission is to make the Dot interesting, relevant and fun for Penn students to read. At the heart of this approach is a unique feature called "Today's Special." Every weekday brings another installment of one of our five irreverent, off-beat and informative features. If it's Monday, it's time for our over-the-top advice on relationships, "He Said, She Said." Our two columnists -- one male and one female -- provide battling perspectives on provocative issues. Today's question: "Is your best friend's ex off-limits?" On Tuesday, the special is a "best-of" list. Past topics include the "Best Places to Study on Campus" and the "Best Places to Get Take-Out on Campus." Wednesdays mean Ivy Roundup -- news and opinion from student newspapers at the rest of the Ancient Eight. Want to know how Dartmouth students feel about their changing Greek system? This is the place to find out. On Thursday, we present a look at what's hot and what's not called "Quaker Watch." And if it's the weekend and you don't know what to do, head over to Friday's feature, the "Extended Going Out Guide." Presented in conjunction with 34th Street, the feature provides an extended listing of what is going on at Penn and in Philadelphia. But the site's original content doesn't end with "Today's Special." The Dot also offers three continuing series. "Spotlight on Student Groups" takes a look at a different student organization every Tuesday. You'll never have to wonder about all those student organizations you see lining Locust Walk again. Past editions have looked at Mask and Wig and Pennchants. This week, the Spotlight will shine on the Rap Line. And our weekly "Technology Today" feature focuses on issues like the ICQ revolution. The latest edition of "Technology Today," on-line now, ranks 10 popular MP3 search engines. Our newest feature, "Millennium Watch," is an off-beat look at issues surrounding the millennium. Look out for the first edition appearing next week. But the Dot is not just about fun features. We have games, too. Answer our daily trivia question correctly and you receive a point in our trivia contest. At the end of the semester, the contestants with the most points will win fabulous prizes. And we remain your on-line source for America's best college daily -- posted on-line by 4 p.m. every day. But if you can't wait to discover what is in the DP, you can find out early in our "Preview" section -- posted every night by 1 a.m. And while you are there, you can also find out what to wear to class the next day in our weather section. The Dot is also committed to keeping you informed at all times, and so we occasionally post breaking news and sports articles, including men's basketball and football results. We are excited about all our new initiatives and believe that Penn students will really enjoy them. However, we are constantly improving the site. Please let us know if you think we are doing a good job. Or if you don't. So if you are looking for features, articles, services and games that are interesting, useful and fun, surf on over to dailypennsylvanian.com. .innovative .exciting .entertaining .thedot