Offline reader

An offline reader (sometimes called an offline browser or offline navigator) is computer software that downloads e-mail, newsgroup posts or web pages, making them available when the computer is offline: not connected to the Internet. Offline readers are useful for portable computers and dial-up access.

Variations

Website-mirroring software

Website mirroring software is software that allows for the download of a copy of an entire website 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 mirror.

Offline mail and news readers
See also: Email client and Newsreader (Usenet)

Offline mail readers are computer programs that allow users to read electronic mail or other messages (for example, those on bulletin board systems) 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. Offline news readers are similar, but the messages are organized into news groups.

Most e-mail protocols, like the common POP3 and IMAP4 used for internet mail, need be on-line only during message transfer; the same applies to the NNTP protocol used by Usenet (Network news). 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 systems 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.

List
NamePublisherLicensePlatform
A1 Website DownloadMicrosysSharewareWindows, OS X[1]
BackStreet BrowserSpadix softwareSharewareWindows[2]
Browse OfflineMenelaos VergisFree softwareWindows[3]
Darcy RipperDarcyRipperFree softwareWindows, Linux, OS X, Unix[4]
Golden CommPass (GCP)Creative Systems Programming CorporationPaidOS/2[lower-alpha 1]
HamsterMathias DolidonFree softwareWindows, Linux, OS X, Unix[5]
HTTrackHTTrack.comFree softwareWindows, Linux, OS X, Unix[6]
LeechUniversal Commerce, IssaquahSharewareWindows[7]
MR/2Knight Writer Software CompanySharewareOS/2[lower-alpha 2]
MR/2 PMKnight Writer Software CompanySharewareOS/2[lower-alpha 2]
MR/2 ICESecant
Alphacat		SharewareOS/2
Windows		[lower-alpha 3]
NCollector StudioCalluna SoftwareSharewareWindows[8]
NewsPal: Offline Web BrowserFore Studio Ltd.Freeware or PaidiOS[9]
Offline BrowserMetaProductsSharewareWindows[10]
Offline CommanderZylox, Inc.SharewareWindows
Offline ExplorerMetaProductsSharewareWindows[11]
Offline PagesCodium LabsPaidOS X, iOS[12]
Off Line XpressMustang Softwre, Inc.PaidDOS[lower-alpha 4]
PageNestpagenest.comFreeware or PaidWindows[13]
ScrapBookMozilla Add-onsFreewareCross-platform[14]
Site SuckerRick CraniskyPaidOS X, iOS
TapCISCompuServe Information Service (CIS)SharewareDOS[lower-alpha 1]
TeleportTennyson Maxwell Information SystemsSharewareWindows[15]
WebCopierMaximumsoftSharewareWindows[16]
Offline BrowserNikodroidSharewareAndroid[17]
Xaldon WebSpiderXaldon TechnologiesFreewareWindows[18]
Offline BrowserGashaw MolaSharewareAndroid[19]


See also

Notes
  1. Mail reader for Compuserve
  2. BBS reader
  3. Internet mail and news reader
  4. The free test subset of OLX is called Off Line Xpress - Test Drive (OLX-TD)

References
  1. "A1 Website Download - Download and view websites offline". microsystools.com. 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
  2. "BackStreet Browser - Offline Browser, Download Entire WebSite at High Speed!". Spadixbd.com. 2011-01-24. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  3. "Browse Offline | Free website downloader". Menelaos Vergis. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
  4. "Darcy Ripper | Free website downloader". Darcy Ripper. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  5. "Hamster : hoard the web". github.com. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
  6. "HTTrack Website Copier - Free Software Offline Browser (GNU GPL)". Httrack.com. 2012-06-23. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  7. "Aeria Leech". www.aeria.com. Archived from the original on 16 November 1999. Retrieved 5 June 2020. Leech is a high-speed offline web browser for Windows 95/98/NT that downloads web site content to your hard drive.
  8. "Offline Browser | Website Crawler - NCollector Studio". calluna-software.com. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
  9. "NewsPal: Offline Web Browser". Fore Studio. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  10. "MetaProducts Offline Browser". Metaproducts.com. 1999-03-26. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  11. "Offline Explorer". Metaproducts.com. 1999-03-26. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  12. "Offline Pages". Codiumlabs.com. 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  13. "PageNest Free Offline Browser". Pagenest.com. 2007-01-15. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  14. Gomita (2012-04-03). "ScrapBook :: Add-ons for Firefox". Addons.mozilla.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  15. "Tennyson Maxwell Information Systems, Inc. - Home". Tenmax.com. 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  16. "WebCopier :: Products". Maximumsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2007-07-03. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  17. "Offline Browser:: Products". Nikodroid. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  18. "xaldon Technologies". Xaldon.de. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  19. "Offline Browser". Gashaw Mola. Retrieved 2015-07-28.


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