NetAttache

NetAttach� -- NetAttach� stakes its claim as being the Internet's first second-generation web agent -- an agent above and beyond first-generation clients like WebWhacker, SmartMarks, and WebWatch. Does NetAttach� live up to its hype and thereby render obsolete the competition for the time being? The answer is a definitive yes. By integrating unique and powerful features that bring the web to your desktop at unprecedented speeds and with a minimum of effort, NetAttach� is indeed the consummate web agent. Like its predecessors, NetAttach� offers web site archival capabilities, personal spiders that automatically download web-related information for you, and routine comparison checks for notifying you when your favorite web sites have been updated. The initial innovation that distances NetAttach� from the competition is its filtering agent, which will automatically scan web sites and download only the information important to you. For example, NetAttach� will, at scheduled intervals, check a web site for revised information. Any new information that meets your needs is then downloaded and presented to you in the form of a news brief when you run the client. The key feature here is NetAttach�'s ability to identify differences on Web pages and then filter through to you only the information that you deem critical. Another of NetAttach�'s innovations is its implementation of these functions using advanced desktop-server technology, which in turn provides higher levels of performance. A third major feature of NetAttach�, and perhaps its most useful, is the ability to scan sites and identify the occurrence of specific information. Using its Smart Search function, NetAttach� scans a web page (and several levels below if you wish) and notes the occurrence of specific text patterns. Think of this as your own personal search engine for each of your favorite web sites. Just enter the information you wish to find and allow NetAttach� to easily detect the presence of the data you are interested in. This results in the generation of a Site Map whereby the entries containing the matches are identified. Additionally, the matches are consolidated in a separate listing from which you can quickly jump to the web pages with the matching text. And since the web site has been retrieved and stored on your hard disk, you are able to receive the web page or pages immediately. NetAttach� delivers each of these features and more, and at the same time it does so with easy to understand instructions (including a helpful tutorial) and a cool interface. In short, welcome to the new generation of web agent technology -- after using NetAttach� you'll never want to go back. Pros: Second-generation web agent technology offers impressive, unprecented features Cons: Some features could be more intuitive, the competition is closing the gap quickly New: This is the initial review for NetAttach� Version Reviewed: 1.0 Beta 19 Date of Review: 7/29/96 Reviewer: Forrest Stroud