Published in InfoAlert.

Software programs which save Web pages or sites to your hard drive for offline viewing can be a major time saver. You can then wander through those pages at the speed of your hard drive, not tying up your phone line.

Several of the more popular programs are listed here, including prices and available formats, as well as Websites where you can find additional information.

HotPagePlus by DocuMagix "installs itself on your browser's menu bar allowing you, with one click, to save the Web content on your local PC, while automatically retaining the original live links." The program attaches a "file cabinet" to your browser to allow you to organize Web content and merge it with your Windows desktop. HotPagePlus is available for Win 95 and 3.1 and sells for $24.95. A trial version is available.

WebClip by PaperClip Software lets you capture, update, and organize Web pages automatically. The program also features site monitoring that identifies whether changes have occurred on a page, then stores the new content on your PC. "Users can then display Web pages at hard drive speed, with all graphics and hotlinks intact for more convenient offline browsing." WebClip is only available for Win95 and sells for $29.95. A free test drive allowing you to store ten documents is available.

WebWhacker by ForeFront Group allows you to save Web pages, including text, graphics, and HTML links, directly to your hard drive. You can download entire Web sites or just one page, schedule unattended content delivery, or monitor sites for updated information. The program is available for the Macintosh, Win 3.1, or Win 95/NT and sells for $49.95. A trial version is available.

Net Attache Pro by Tympani Development lets you schedule the program to retrieve data at an unattended time. The program can also show you any changes made to Websites between visits, can be used as a bookmark manager, and contains a search tool. It's available in 16- or 32-bit versions and sells for $39.95. The site offers a trial download that's fully functional for fifteen usage days.

Teleport Pro by Tennyson Maxwell features the ability to launch up to ten simultaneous retrieval threads, access password-protected sites, explore every Website linked from a central site, make a list of all pages and files on a Website, and duplicate whole Websites for offline viewing. It's only available for Win95/NT and costs $39.95 to register.

Web Buddy 32-bit 1.1 by DataViz Products (No 16-bit version) is a collection of utilities that helps your browser save, collect, convert, organize, and share Web information. It can automate the collection of Web pages or entire sites, and you can convert and reuse Web pages and graphics in your word processor. Web Buddy is a shareware program for $39.95, and a Macintosh version is available.

Secret Agent by Ariel Communications includes grabbing pages from the Net as a background task, browsing your cache offline, and then going online and following unvisited links. It's available for Win 3.1, 95, or NT. After 21 days' evaluation, you're asked to register the program for $39.00.

Internet Agents by Agents Technologies can carry out tasks such as: downloading Web sites; updating Web pages; handling mail; performing searches; and managing discussion groups. They can be programmed to work for you 24 hours a day. A free Beta version is available, and the final version of 1.0 will sell for $49.95. Internet Agents Pro will cost $89.95. Both are for Win 95 or NT only.

WebAgent and Superbookmarks by Insanely Great Software features two for the price of one--$29.95. WebAgent will monitor your favorite Web sites for changes and download entire sites for offline browsing at faster speeds. Superbookmarks is a personal Web organizer that also allows you to specify a different browser for specific sites or subscribe to lists of Web sites published by other Web users. Only a 16-bit version is available.

NearSite from Info Evolution allows users to choose and build their own channels by listing their favorite sites and scheduling how often they want them delivered to their desktop. After a 30-day free trial, the program costs $49.95 and is available for Win 3.1x, 95, and NT.

As you can see, many of these programs offer trial versions. So give them a try and see which one works best for you.

Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

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