Offline reader
Encyclopedia
An offline reader is computer software
that downloads e-mail
, newsgroup
posts or web page
s, making them available when the computer is offline: not connected to the Internet
or, in the late 20th century, bulletin board system
s. Offline readers are useful for portable computer
s and dial-up access
.
to the local hard disk for offline browsing. In effect, the downloaded copy serves as a mirror
of the original site.
Web crawler
software such as Wget
can be used to generate a site map.
s that allow users to read electronic mail or other messages (for example, those on bulletin boards) with a minimum of connection time to the server storing the messages. This is accomplished by the server
packaging up multiple messages into a compressed
file for the user to download and then disconnect. The user then reads the message packet locally and any replies or new messages generated are packaged up and uploaded back to the server upon the next connection.
Most e-mail systems, like the common POP
and IMAP formats used for internet
mail, are on-line by their very nature. Most end user mailers, such as Outlook Express
and AOL
, can be used offline even if they are mainly intended to be used online, but some mailers such as Juno
are mainly intended to be used offline.
Off-line mail readers are generally considered to be those systems that did not originally offer such functionality, notably on bulletin board system
s where toll charges and tying up telephone lines were a major concern. Users of large networks such as FidoNet
regularly used offline mail readers, and it was also used for UseNet
messages on the internet, which is also an online system. The two most common formats for FidoNet BBS's were Blue Wave
and QWK. Less well-known examples include Silver Xpress's OPX
, XRS
, OMEM, SOUP and ZipMail.
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
that downloads e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, newsgroup
Newsgroup
A usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users in different locations. The term may be confusing to some, because it is usually a discussion group. Newsgroups are technically distinct from, but functionally similar to, discussion forums on...
posts or web page
Web page
A web page or webpage is a document or information resource that is suitable for the World Wide Web and can be accessed through a web browser and displayed on a monitor or mobile device. This information is usually in HTML or XHTML format, and may provide navigation to other web pages via hypertext...
s, making them available when the computer is offline: not connected to the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
or, in the late 20th century, bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
s. Offline readers are useful for portable computer
Portable computer
A portable computer is a computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another and includes a display and keyboard. Portable computers, by their nature, are generally microcomputers. Portable computers, because of their size, are also commonly known as 'Lunchbox' or 'Luggable' computers...
s and dial-up access
Dial-up access
Dial-up Internet access is a form of Internet access that uses the facilities of the public switched telephone network to establish a dialled connection to an Internet service provider via telephone lines...
.
Website-mirroring software
Website mirroring software is software that allows one to download a copy of an entire websiteWebsite
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
to the local hard disk for offline browsing. In effect, the downloaded copy serves as a mirror
Mirror (computing)
In computing, a mirror is an exact copy of a data set. On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site.Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads...
of the original site.
Web crawler
Web crawler
A Web crawler is a computer program that browses the World Wide Web in a methodical, automated manner or in an orderly fashion. Other terms for Web crawlers are ants, automatic indexers, bots, Web spiders, Web robots, or—especially in the FOAF community—Web scutters.This process is called Web...
software such as Wget
Wget
GNU Wget is a computer program that retrieves content from web servers, and is part of the GNU Project. Its name is derived from World Wide Web and get...
can be used to generate a site map.
Offline mail readers
Offline mail readers are computer programComputer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
s that allow users to read electronic mail or other messages (for example, those on bulletin boards) with a minimum of connection time to the server storing the messages. This is accomplished by the server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
packaging up multiple messages into a compressed
Data compression
In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
file for the user to download and then disconnect. The user then reads the message packet locally and any replies or new messages generated are packaged up and uploaded back to the server upon the next connection.
Most e-mail systems, like the common POP
Post Office Protocol
In computing, the Post Office Protocol is an application-layer Internet standard protocol used by local e-mail clients to retrieve e-mail from a remote server over a TCP/IP connection. POP and IMAP are the two most prevalent Internet standard protocols for e-mail retrieval. Virtually all modern...
and IMAP formats used for internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
mail, are on-line by their very nature. Most end user mailers, such as Outlook Express
Outlook Express
Outlook Express is an email and news client that is included with Internet Explorer versions 4.0 through 6.0. As such, it is also bundled with several versions of Microsoft Windows, from Windows 98 to Windows Server 2003, and is available for Windows 3.x, Windows NT 3.51, Windows 95 and Mac OS 9...
and AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
, can be used offline even if they are mainly intended to be used online, but some mailers such as Juno
Juno Online Services
Juno is an Internet service provider based in the United States. It is a subsidiary of United Online, which also owns NetZero and Kmart's BlueLight internet service.-History:...
are mainly intended to be used offline.
Off-line mail readers are generally considered to be those systems that did not originally offer such functionality, notably on bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
s where toll charges and tying up telephone lines were a major concern. Users of large networks such as FidoNet
FidoNet
FidoNet is a worldwide computer network that is used for communication between bulletin board systems. It was most popular in the early to mid 1990s, prior to the introduction of easy and affordable access to the Internet...
regularly used offline mail readers, and it was also used for UseNet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
messages on the internet, which is also an online system. The two most common formats for FidoNet BBS's were Blue Wave
Blue Wave
Blue Wave is a file-based offline mail reader that was popular among bulletin board system users, especially users of FidoNet and other networks that generated large volumes of mail...
and QWK. Less well-known examples include Silver Xpress's OPX
FidoNet
FidoNet is a worldwide computer network that is used for communication between bulletin board systems. It was most popular in the early to mid 1990s, prior to the introduction of easy and affordable access to the Internet...
, XRS
XRS
Xerxes de Oliveira is a drum and bass producer from Brazil. He uses several pseudonyms including XRS, XRS Land, Friendtornik, and Kapitel 06...
, OMEM, SOUP and ZipMail.
List
| Name | Publisher | License | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BackStreet Browser | Spadix software | Shareware Shareware The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a... |
|
| HTTrack HTTrack HTTrack is a free and open source Web crawler and offline browser, developed by Xavier Roche and licensed under the GNU General Public License.... |
HTTrack.com | Free software Free software Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do... |
|
| Offline Explorer | MetaProducts | Shareware Shareware The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a... |
|
| Offline Browser | MetaProducts | Shareware | |
| ScrapBook | Mozilla Add-ons Mozilla Add-ons Mozilla Add-ons is the official Mozilla Foundation website to act as a repository for add-ons for Mozilla software, including Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, and Mozilla Sunbird. These add-ons include extensions, themes, dictionaries, search bar "search engines," and plugins... |
Freeware | |
| Teleport | Tennyson Maxwell Information Systems | Shareware | |
| WebCopier | Maximumsoft | Shareware | |
| Xaldon WebSpider | Xaldon Technologies | Freeware |