You would have a choice of viewing these sites in random order, seeing a complete listing, and/or visiting a particular site in the order you choose. No wasting time trying to find a Web site designed with your special interest in mind!

Such mini-Webs are called Webrings and are a natural outgrowth of the Web's linking ability.

Webrings have been characterized as "digital bucket brigades" because each site depends on, and benefits from, the other sites in the "line" (or ring in this case).

Can't find a Webring to your taste among the 80,000+ currently offered by Webring?

How about the Great Books Webring, the Homeschool Webring, the Houston Rockets Webring, or the NavRing?

Don't see a Webring appropriate for your site to join? Start your own!

Any Webmaster may apply to sign up his/her site in any Webring but the Webringmaster (or sometimes a ringmaster committee) has final say over whether a given site may join the ring or remain a ring member. This gives Webringmasters control over the overall quality of the ring.

Common standards are what you might expect and normally include frequent updating of one's site (to keep current). Bad apples would bring down all the sites in a given ring and so, understandably, are not tolerated.

Webring sites tend to be amateur, fan sites and so may contain more enthusiasm than solid, objective facts & research. With that caveat in mind, Webrings can still be a lot of fun and a way to connect with other Web users with similar interests and can be somewhat like a "Web support group" for people such as those living with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), for example. Webrings are even available in languages other than English, such as Arabic, German, and Spanish!

Where can you find Webrings?

Webring sites frequently show up in search engine results (at least, they have for me!). Or you can go straight to the directory at Webring.