Peter Gabriel wants to save the internet. As a... *cough*... older gentleman, Gabriel understands how the bright lights and fast pace of the internet can be scary for some people. His solution is to create a website that enhances your personal internet experience by 'filtering' out the bullshit. It's called The Filter, oddly enough. According to an AP article about the website, you enter in your personal likes in music, film and various other things, and Peter Gabriel figures out what you want to see. TheFilter.com

Let's take it for a test drive:

Choose 3 music genres from a tiny list of genres.

Click...uh...click click

Rate at least 5 artists from the genres you have selected.

hmmm...how?

Sorry, we've had a problem processing your request.

d'oh

Try again...music...movies...

Alright done. What does Peter Gabriel think I like?

Audioslave, Oasis and Spiderman

EPIC FAIL!!!!!!!!

Still, this is not such a bad idea. I have a feeling users will have to spend a lot of time refining their likes and dislikes for this algorithm to be really effective. And one would assume the whole idea is to turn you on to something you aren't already familiar with. This site seems to have only the most mainstream and popular choices.

They are giving prize packages away right now just for signing up, so if you live in the US, UK or Canada, check it out.

He has also built a site called TheMemory.com. It's like MySpace for dead people so others can remember and memorialize those they have lost.