Download your favorite Internet page or the entire site and view it offline
There are tools as a Network Admin that we need and most times we do not think we need them at all, until we are up against the wall and banging our heads into it trying to find the answers.
One of the less celebrated but no doubt necessary tools is the ability to save WebPages to read offline. No granted this is not something we need to do often…perhaps…hopefully never. Nevertheless, there is a free tool offered by Solent Software that can give you piece of mind, just in case, the tool is called PageNest formerly WebStripper (good idea changing the name guys). And it is offered in a free and pro edition ($39.95 this version offers timed downloads, authentication and some other great features).
Having worked in New York City and sometimes needing the opportunity to do research one of my favorite features within my browser was the ability to download pages for offline viewing. Accept it has always been difficult to manage, unreliable and is not able to update the pages without re-downloading them again and again.
PageNest makes offline viewing easy and convenient you can download multiple sites, choose the file types, pause and resume downloads and it even keeps the folder structure so it looks and feels like you are online. I recall one time early in my career where we upgraded our firewall software and the backup we took just in case the upgrade went bad, was corrupted. Now I had no access to the Internet since even with a redundant connection they were all going through the firewall and I had no way to go back to the previous software version since the backup was corrupted. For me to have the support library downloaded would have been a life saver (good firewall terrible phone support). It could have taken me and hour to resolve the issue instead of the four hours to get a response and two hours of trying to walk through the steps with a semi-proficient tech who could not see and understand what I was seeing.
That why I say tools like this one are great for keeping a copy of that site you need available. Whether it is in case of an outage of Internet access, for boning up on some new technology or during your commute (not if you’re driving to work of course). Or maybe for just catching up with your favorite blog like say ‘A Better Windows World’ in locations where you can’t get Internet (again not while you’re driving). Try PageNest one of those often overlooked but also often appreciated tools.
Have any great tools that make your life in the Technology trenches easier or better, email me and let me know. I will feature the tool and you of course in my blog!
