By Ellen Henderson
DallasNews.com
WHAT IT IS: The inelegantly titled but addictive "Guess the Dictator and/or Television Sit-Com Character," found at www.smalltime.com/dictator.html, is basically a computerized version of "20 Questions."
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT: Quick, think of a sitcom character. Monica from Friends? George from Seinfeld? Nah, too easy. Think back, back to your favorite shows from childhood. Strain your memory for a real challenge. Natalie from "The Facts of Life"? Rerun from "What's Happening"? Chachi from "Happy Days"? That's more like it.
Those are some of the characters I came up with, and after I answered a series of yes/no questions, the ingenious "Guess the Dictator and/or Television Sit-Com Character" had my characters correctly identified. The site seems to have a limitless store of (yes, basically useless) information about characters from televisions shows old and new, and as long as you give correct answers to the questions, the nifty little program will figure out which character you're describing. And answering the questions isn't hard -- sure, I don't remember whether the characters in the creepy 1980s sitcom "Small Wonder" lived in the Midwest or not, but that just means I answer "no." The program eventually pegged me as "Vicki the Robot," anyway.
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For those more historically minded (and/or those who just don't share my lifelong love of TV), the site also offers the more erudite "dictator" guessing game, a feature that's just as impressive as the sitcom search, although less likely to bring back fond memories of days gone by.
WHY WE LIKE IT: In a word, it's just fun. It's also very difficult to stop once you get going: Trying to stump the program while still playing fair can easily occupy an idle hour or two. And unlike a lot of online activities, this one's great for community-building. Playing at the office is sure to draw a crowd around your cube as you and your co-workers argue about whether Sam from Cheers bothered his neighbors or if Denise from "The Cosby Show" ever had a roommate.
And that's really all there is to it this site isn't going to make the world a better place or improve your mind. It's just obsessively entertaining, and in this case, that's enough. After all, you have to appreciate the small things in life. (Except that creepy robot Vicki.)
