IDEA - Webpage archiving

[Carol Haynes]

Looking at InjectURL at http://www.tranglos.com/free/index.html I was thinking how useful it would be to have a web page archive utility that could:

• capture webpage snapshots
• store, organise and search them
• organise output
• • outlining
  • extracting text, images and links
  • adding personal text and images
  • report building

Perhaps a bit like encarta researcher but more built to develop and organise over time rather than for a specific project.

There may well be stuff out there already that can do this but I haven't come across anything like that?

[mouser]

there are some.

two that come to mind immediately:
netsnippets - http://www.netsnippets.com/
local website archive - http://www.aignes.com/wsarc/index.htm

i know there are others too.

[Carol Haynes]

two that come to mind immediately:
netsnippets - http://www.netsnippets.com/

Looks good but Pro version is quite expensive and the free/standard versions look a little limited in some ways. Going to have a play with this one though.

local website archive - http://www.aignes.com/wsarc/index.htm

Looks a little limited. I wan't really just thinking of collecting webpages, but an app that would allow you to effectively archive and use the information to create too.

Anyone else got some ideas?

[JeffK]

I purchased Cyberarticle.  Use it less than I intended.  Very powerful but not particularly user friendly.  I think it is now $US25.

Jeff

[Carol Haynes]

Thanks - actually I like NetSnippets a lot and have splashed out (well for half price ... mature student and all that)

[JeffK]

Good on you.  Good choice.

Jeff

[mouser]

another app:

http://www.netpicker.net/netpicker.html

[found via freeware world team]

[kfitting]

Sorry, this is going to sound like I'm beating a dead horse to death, but this is where a Note program should go.  It would be awesome to have one program that contains data, webpages, text, rtf, you name it and put a GUI on it, make it searchable, relatable, etc.  The GUI would allow you to dispaly the info any way you want it: tree, text, flowchart, mindmap, etc.  Obviously a big task but I dream of the day when all my information can be placed in multiple views without having to repeat it!  One cool program that is stepping up to the plate is the successor to Neomem (www.neomem.org)... the author has some interesting ideas about collecting data and making it easy to enter in new data.  Something to keep tabs on!

Kevin

PS - I know there are programs that do some of this stuff... but the ones I have looked at are complex, non user-friendly (how many clicks does it take!!!  Seriously, I think software corporations have a deal with doctors and are trying to promote carpal tunnel), or only support one style of arranging data.... I continue to dream! 

[kfitting]

I just realized, going to the Neomem homepage probably won't get you a whole lot... besides it's www.neomem.com. ; Go to the blog and the forums for info on the new version coming out.  Hopefully this program will do what the author is intending!

Kevin

[mouser]

Just a little blurb,

Local Website Archiver (made by same person that made Website Watcher) has a free version, and a pro version which you can currently get 50% off of through our discounts (and it integrates well into Website Watcher).

Maybe someone wants to mail NetSnippets and see if they want to match the 50% discount?

[rjbull]

I like NetSnippets a lot and have splashed out

CarolHaynes,

Did you also look at Evernote?  I'd be interested in the comparison.  I see that NetSnippets runs on Win9x, which Evernote doesn't, and currently that's helpful to me.  Even the free version of NetSnippets appears to give some degree of organisational possibilities, as well as allowing you to "compile" the results into an MHT file.  I don't understand exactly MHT files are, but if it means combining everything into a single file when you want to send it to someone, that would be useful.

[Carol Haynes]

No I've not tried Evernote - I do have NetSnippets and Surfulator (don't really know why I bought both as they do similar jobs).

MHT files are compiled webpages produced by Internet Explorer. If you open a page in Internet Explorer and click File > Save As ... you can chose it in the "Save as type ..." pull down menu under the filename.

Basically it save the whole web page in a single file (including graphics etc.), but as far as I know only Internet Explorer can open it. It doesn't always work on sites that use generated pages or on secure sites - but if it can't do it you get a warning that tells you.

[rjbull]

I do have NetSnippets and Surfulator (don't really know why I bought both as they do similar jobs).

Which begs the question, which do you prefer?

MHT files are compiled webpages produced by Internet Explorer. [...]but as far as I know only Internet Explorer can open it.

Thanks.  Pity it's so Microsoft-specific...

[Carol Haynes]

I do have NetSnippets and Surfulator (don't really know why I bought both as they do similar jobs).

Which begs the question, which do you prefer?

I'm still not sure - I like both. Net Snippets Pro feels like a more user friendly interface but Surfulater has a lot of stuff that I have barely scratched.

Both have demo versions (Snippets has a free version too IIRC) so best thing is to try them and see which works best for you.

[kimmchii]

ScrapBook, if you use firefox.

[rjbull]

I'm still not sure - I like both.

Net Snippets Pro feels like a more user friendly interface but Surfulater has a lot of stuff that I have barely scratched.

You probably know there's a lot about Surfulator in the very long General brainstorming for Note-taking software thread.

Both have demo versions (Snippets has a free version too IIRC) so best thing is to try them and see which works best for you.

NetSnippets still has a free version, and supports Firefox 0.9 and above as well as Netscape and versions of IE and IE-based browsers.

Thanks!

[rjbull]

I purchased Cyberarticle.  Use it less than I intended.  Very powerful but not particularly user friendly.  I think it is now $US25.

JeffK,

How do you rate Cyberarticle against NetSnippets, Surfulator and the others?

I just checked - you're right, it is now $25.

[rjbull]

I do have NetSnippets and Surfulator (don't really know why I bought both as they do similar jobs).

CarolHaynes,

Now you have or have looked at NetSnippets, Surfulator and Evernote, how about a mini-comparison? 

[Carol Haynes]

oo good idea - at the moment I am trying to plough my way through two university assignments (both late - and I haven't finished reading the course materials yet), prepare for a tutorial on Saturday and write a comparative review of Panorama software.

When I have a life again I'll spend a bit more time with the three note taking offerings!

[superboyac]

Hi everyone, I recently got interested in these webpage archiving programs.  The two programs I liked the best are Cyberarticle and Local Website Archive.  I like the interface of Local Website Archive and like it's sister program, Website-Watcher, it is really handy and easy to use.  However, Cyberarticle seems to have many more features.  On the other hand, Cyberarticle is a little difficult to figure out (like JeffK mentioned).  They are both similar in price, so I don't know which one to get.  I like the feel of LWA, but I like the power of Cyberarticle.  If anyone has a little more insight, please do tell.

I didn't like NetSnippets much at all, looked like the most bloated of the bunch.  Of course, I'm not doing anything too fancy with the program besides just saving webpages, so maybe Carol is more interested in some features that I didn't pay attention to.  I actually hate it when programs attach interfaces or modules to other programs, like your internet browsing program.  I like real standalone programs.  I'll accept a toolbar addition into firefox sometimes, if really necessary.

I'd like to see a Cyberarticle vs. Local Website Archive comparison if anyone has knowledge of both.  Or maybe I'll just have to go and do it later.  There doesn't seem to be much information out there on either.

[tsaint]

I'll chime in with a positive for net snippets.
I've variously used netsnippets, surfulator, local website archive and evernote.
I have "dumped" stuff into evernote, but its sort of like chucking stuff down a garbage shute for me. Info disappears, never to be seen again. I keep thinking its time to delete it, but don't seem to get around to it.
Maybe having a tree in my face with the others gives me reminders of things and provides some sort of context.

I used LWA and found it good for when I wanted to grab a web page which I massaged into a different form in an html editor. Wish I could remember now why I chucked it before the others.

I use surfulator more than netsnippets (cos it cost me, rather than free, maybe) but netsnippets has caused me less hassles. Sometimes I haven't been able to grab a page using surfulator, where netsnippets has been able to. Not the other way around though.

I don't understand the "bloated" bit re netsnippets. The interface isnt bloated, in fact I'd say its a lot simpler and leaner than surfulator (which I'm not knocking btw)
To my mind, netsnippets (freeware version) doesn't try to do too much and over extend itself, and has a leaner appearance and feel to it.
Surfulator is supposedly using 48mb on my computer, I doubt netsnippets is, if thats what's meant be bloated.
tony

[iphigenie]

A couple of the outliners tools can capture the URL a piece of information came from when you copy from a web page - and keep the link etc. Ultrarecall is one that can both keep live links and snapshots.

So did Webideatree, whizfolders, and I think taonotes has that... probably more And some clipboard tools but i don't remember which off the top of my head. (checking the site before i wrote that to make sure they still kind of exist, i think i'll give those three another try!)

* * *

Actually LWA does allow you to edit the files you snap, but I mostly use it to clean up unnecessary parts of the pages. It's meant as a researc archive and organise tool, but not as a writing/thinking tool. I use it because it supports opera and email clients and is not therefore tied to one browser, which most of the others are.

[patteo]

two that come to mind immediately:
netsnippets - http://www.netsnippets.com/

Looks good but Pro version is quite expensive and the free/standard versions look a little limited in some ways. Going to have a play with this one though.

Carol, Try this for a discount of US$50 for the pro version. I only just started reading this thread so the discount may be too late for some. Also, I'm assuming that it works for IE too since Maxthon is IE based.

This Maxthon "Introductory" discount has been around for maybe 2 to 3 years when I first looked at but did not purchase Netsnippets.

http://www.netsnippets.com/myie2/order.asp

[Carol Haynes]

Thanks for the info but if you look back I started this thread in 2005 and bought a copy of the Pro version back then for half price.

I must say the one thing I am not impressed with is the lack of any active development. In the last two years there have been no updates at all and their extension for Firefox doesn't support recent versions (though it does seem to work if you just ignore version checkeing when you install it or update Firefox). This is very annoying for a piece of software that is really quite expensive.

[Curt]

netsnippets - http://www.netsnippets.com/

Thanks for the info but if you look back I started this thread in 2005 and bought a copy of the Pro version back then for half price.

I am not impressed with is the lack of any active development. In the last two years there have been no updates at all

NetSnippets are gone; now its eSnips Uploader toolbar + 5GB free storage!