WebTrends -- While WebTrends is the most expensive web statistics client currently available on the 'net, it is also the most powerful, offering at least three times as many features as the competition. In other words, when it comes to web stats, if you can think of it, WebTrends can do it. However, as with Statbot, you will need access rights to the server's web stats logs (access log, referer log, error log, browser log, etc.) in order to make use of WebTrends. One of WebTrend's coolest features is the ability to view and/or compile stats reports locally or remotely. Thanks to these capabilities, Windows 3.x, 95, and NT users can have WebTrends automatically fetch a log file from a Unix (or similar) server and complete the report generation process on a local platform. This unprecedented feature will be a godsend for webmasters with remote-hosted web sites. Users can additionally specify whether to view or compile a report for the entire log or specific portions of it (first hour, last hour, specific date, etc.). WebTrends then proceeds to automatically launch the web browser of your choice with the new reports. WebTrends complements these services with a solid array of added benefits, including filtering capabilities, automatic scheduling for reports, extensive report templates, and options for creating your own reports. The real power in WebTrends comes from an amazing abundance of report capabilities. WebTrends offers graphical and tabular reports for every demographical and geographical nuance of information that could possibly be derived from a web server's logs, including level of domestic activity by hour and day, which services or pages are most popular, what sites people have come from to get to your site, the errors people are encountering with your site, the nationality (city, state, province, or country) of the users accessing the site, and much, much more. WebTrends even supports single sites with multiple log files and multiple web sites. One feature missing in WebTrends is the use of a compact, local database (as found in Statbot) for eliminating the need to load the full web server log each time a new report is scheduled to be generated. WebTrends users could also greatly benefit from an improved online help system -- the current bare-bones documentation will likely not suffice for all but the most experienced web statistician. Despite these slight limitations and an intimidating price tag, WebTrends remains one of the best solutions for all of your web stats needs. For a sample WebTrends report, check out The WebTrends Reports pages. Pros: Excellent stats program, graphical charts, remote and local report management, flexibility Cons: Expensive, lacks an internal database, poor online help documentation New: FTP upload capabilities, Intranet reporting, multiple web site reporting, macro support, more Version Reviewed: 2.00 Official Release Date of Review: 7/15/96 Reviewer: Forrest Stroud apps conference Main Menu