Tripping back in time

I don't remember the Sixties. But then, I spent most of my time there in my cot: Pink Floyd recorded "See Emily Play" on my second birthday (thanks, Syd) and the only drug abuse I indulged in was gripe water.

Thanks to modern multimedia technology, however, I can pretend I was there all along. The Haight-Ashbury Rockumentary CD-ROM from Compton's New Media is a compendious collection of the sights, sounds and daftness surrounding San Francisco during the dog-end of the decade. You want to hear the Grateful Dead playing (and playing) "Dark Star"? See the retina- warping graphics that accompanied the gathering of the tribes at Filmore East? Experience Dr Timothy Leary exhorting the youth of the country to "turn on, tune in, drop out?" while trying to work out which species he belongs to? All here, peaceniks, all here.

It's beautifully presented, with gentle wisps of sitar music accompanying a mouse movement here, a menu selection there. Well-indexed, too; the San Francisco Oracle - a leading underground tome of the time - is included in all its glory, and the text is easy to get at. You can set up a slide show of your favourite bits, doubtless to accompany the ignition of joss- sticks at your next theme party, or just chill out to some splendid set- pieces.

The real world of the Nineties isn't entirely absent; there are contemporary interviews with people of the time included on the disks. But these are far from objective. Hey, that's cool; this is a document made by people who clearly loved being there and the vibe rubs off. The only bummer is that a CD case just isn't big enough to construct a five-skinner. Peace.

RUPERT GOODWINS

Available from Channel MarketMakers (01703 812755) priced pounds 39.99