Prog. to monitor web pages

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan S
  • Start date Start date
D

Dan S

Hi, I'm looking for freeware that will allow me to monitor web pages for
changes, and will alert me to those changes. Something along the line of
Watznew, Website Watcher, Webspector, etc., but free. Any one know of
anything?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi, I'm looking for freeware that will allow me to monitor
web pages for changes, and will alert me to those changes.
Something along the line of Watznew, Website Watcher,
Webspector, etc., but free. Any one know of anything?
Click to expand...

I use this one. Truely like it - nice interface, stable, and
good options.

http://www.markwell.btinternet.co.uk/webmon/

"Some of its features include:

Checking an unlimited number of web pages.
Scheduling automatic checking at set intervals.
Optional pop-up alerts and sounds when updates are found.
Running other programs when updates are found.
Selecting which part of the web page to check.
Update logging.
Proxy support, with authentication.
Unintrusive tray icon when minimised.
Importing IE favorites and Netscape bookmarks."
 
In alt.comp.freeware, on 17 Aug 2003, Dan S announced:
Hi, I'm looking for freeware that will allow me to monitor
web pages for changes, and will alert me to those changes.
Something along the line of Watznew, Website Watcher,
Webspector, etc., but free. Any one know of anything?
Click to expand...

The program I'm currently using is "WebMon" -
http://www.markwell.btinternet.co.uk/webmon/

Same sort of thing as c4u - doesn't have the nifty 'preview'
bit, but (from memory as I haven't used c4u in awhile), it is
more stable and does have filtering capability (ie, monitor for
changes from xxx to yyy in a page).

One difference is that there is no 'tree' structure like in c4u
- all the pages are lumped together, but I found if I name
entries carefully - eg precede all programs with "Program", such
as: "Program Webmon", "Program XNews" etc, and other things with
other designations then let the program sort by status or
alphabetically, it works ok and is just a minor difference.

One bonus is that it is actively being updated the author is
really nice and helpful.


I used to use "Check 4 New", but then it went adware - The
author claims that the next version will not have the ads, but
he hasn't released this version yet and it's been a couple of
years, it appears that development has stopped entirely. I did
email him some months ago and he said that due to a computer
crash he had lost everything and decided to rewrite the entire
program from scratch, it looks like he decided he couldn't be
bothered...

Anyway, those three mentioned - C4U, and WebMon being the two
freeware ones, are the only ones I've tried and they all have
their advantages and dissadvantages. I think it's just a matter
of trying and seeing which one you like better.

Oh - one always handy bit of info - if windows crashes and you
have to reset the computer (Webmon doesn't cause this but I have
other programs that do :) WebMon seems to go back to the state
it was in the last time it was sucessfully closed - ie, you will
lose changes in webpages detected the last time the program was
open. Just thought I'd mention that, since it is something I
like to know about in software that isn't often reported.

Regards

OgO
 
In alt.comp.freeware, on 17 Aug 2003, Iain Cheyne announced:
That's a pity. The preview window is the best thing about
C4U, as it lets me drill down straight to the changes
without loading a browser.
Click to expand...

I agree - I've never seen a program other than c4u with this
feature unfortunately.

To compensate somewhat however, it does have the filter
capability which c4u strangely lacks, so thought you cant preview
the page to check if the change is interesting to you, you can
specify that the program only monitor a certain part of the page
so that any changes are more likely to be of interest to you.

You could uncheck the option automatically download the page when
specifying content to check, then when you get notified of an
update 'modify' the URL and loook at 'specify content to check'
to see what's changed - if your filter is narrow this shouldn't
be too much of a task as it highlights the text that is 'active'.

Regards

OgO
 
You could uncheck the option automatically download the page when
specifying content to check, then when you get notified of an
update 'modify' the URL and loook at 'specify content to check'
to see what's changed - if your filter is narrow this shouldn't
be too much of a task as it highlights the text that is 'active'.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, but it does look like a bit of a fiddle. The preview
window in C4U is very easy...

:oP
 
You are familiar with the fact that C4U was thrown out of the
pricelessware list because of spyware concerns?
Click to expand...

I am, but I still use it as the spyware concerns are dubious and it does
the job better than anything else.

It's a pity it's abandonware. Maybe if someone knew the author, they might
be persuaded to make it open-source?
 
In alt.comp.freeware, on 18 Aug 2003, Iain Cheyne announced:
Thanks for this, but it does look like a bit of a fiddle.
The preview window in C4U is very easy...
Click to expand...

True - I would prefer a nice preview window as well. That
suggestion (which I haven't tried btw, not sure if it will even
display the page contents if you don't let it download them, was
hoping that it kept a copy of the last downloaded contents, but
don't know), was just the closest I could think of off the top of
my head :)

Regards

OgO
 
Yeah, WebMon would be perfect if he did the preview thing, with highlighted
changes. That is exactly what I am looking for. I guess I am going to have
to pay for something, because the other alternatives are not really matching
up.
 
Dan S said:
Hi, I'm looking for freeware that will allow me to monitor web
pages for changes, and will alert me to those changes. Something
along the line of Watznew, Website Watcher, Webspector, etc., but
free. Any one know of anything?
Click to expand...

Mozilla has this feature included.
[Mozilla] > [bookmark manager] > [an url] > [properties] > [schedule]
& [notify]
Click to expand...

If only I could get it to work.
 
Check4me
no spyware
http://www.neogie.com
Click to expand...

I tried this one out. I am comparing it to WebMon, as it does not have a
preview window.

-Good-
It can get the title of a web page, saving you having to type it in.
Drop target, so you can drag URLs into it quicker.
Only uses 392k RAM, when minimised.

-Not Good-
No help file
Less usable (IMHO)

The usability question does it for me. WebMon has a lighter design,
requiring less clicking and pointing. Otherwise, it does very much the
same thing as WebMon. I still prefer C4U, for now.
 
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