Compared to other web robots...

There are a number of WWW robots that perform mirroring operations similar to Templeton. We have compared the features provided by some popular software packages to Templeton.

WebWhacker by The ForeFront Group, Inc. is a graphical Windows-based application for retrieving web documents. This commercial application has a crippled shareware release for users to try before they buy.

GetURL by James Burton is a simple HTML retrieval program for use in scripts. The largest drawback with this application is its inability to retrieve multiple documents.

Web G.R.A.B. by Asbjorn Pettersen is an OS/2 based PM application. It is an early beta release and is provided as freeware. We have evaluated the current release, version 0.22. It should be noted that this application is still an early beta and crashes occasionally. It is also difficult to use.

WWWGrab/2 by J. Rubes is an OS/2 text mode application. It is "a utility for mirroring complete websites." We have reviewed version 1.2.

Supported Operating Systems WebWhacker(1) GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

OS/2 Win-OS/2 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Windows 3.1 Yes No No No No

Windows95 Yes No No No Under development

Linux No No No No Yes

SunOS/Solaris No No No No Yes

Other Unix Variances No No No No Yes

Retrieval WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Link rewriting Yes No No Yes Yes

Automatic Retrieval Yes No Yes(2) Yes Yes

Image Retrieval Yes Yes Yes Yes(3) Yes

ImageMap Retrieval No No No No CERN and NCSA formats only

Long file name support Win95 only Yes Yes Yes Yes

Converts to FAT if required No No No No Yes

Run other applications on the retrieved files No No No No Yes

Maximum retrieval attempts 1 1 1 Configurable 1

Restrictions WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Depth restriction Yes Only retrieves 1 document Depth of 0 or 1 only Yes Yes

Host restriction Yes N/A No Yes Yes

Path restriction Yes N/A No Yes Yes

Domain restriction No N/A No No Yes

Custom restrictions No N/A No No Yes

Robot exclusion No No No No Yes

Logging WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Log files Yes No Yes No Yes

Remote server mapping No No No No Yes

Server identification No No No No Yes

Log errors Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Network WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Spoofing No No No Yes Yes

Proxy support Yes No No Yes Yes

Proxy authentication No No No No Yes

Password support No No No Basic Basic

Variable sleep durations No Yes No Yes Yes

Supported protocols HTTP HTTP, NNTP, Gopher, FTP HTTP HTTP HTTP

Other features WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Generate mailing lists No No No No Yes

User additions while retrieving Yes No Yes No Yes

HTML corrections No No Yes No Yes

Usable from scripts No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Graphical interface Yes No Yes No No

Documentation Availability WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Format MS Word Text file Text & HTML Text file HTML

Readability Detailed Brief Brief Brief Detailed

On-line WinHelp None None None Limited

Documentation Content WebWhacker GetURL Web G.R.A.B. WWWGrab Templeton

Table of Contents Yes No No No Yes

Index Yes No No No No

Description Detailed Brief Brief Brief Detailed

Configuration Detailed Brief Brief Summary Detailed

Examples Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Languages English English English English & Czech English

Notes:

(1) Comparison based on documentation only.

(2) Although the documentation says it supports this option, we could not get it to work.

(3) Does not retrieve images generated by CGI calls.

[Main Menu] [Features] [Configuration] [Registration Information] [Trademarks]

Supported Operating Systems	WebWhacker(1)	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
OS/2	Win-OS/2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows 3.1	Yes	No	No	No	No
Windows95	Yes	No	No	No	Under development
Linux	No	No	No	No	Yes
SunOS/Solaris	No	No	No	No	Yes
Other Unix Variances	No	No	No	No	Yes

Retrieval	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Link rewriting	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Automatic Retrieval	Yes	No	Yes(2)	Yes	Yes
Image Retrieval	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes(3)	Yes
ImageMap Retrieval	No	No	No	No	CERN and NCSA formats only
Long file name support	Win95 only	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Converts to FAT if required	No	No	No	No	Yes
Run other applications on the retrieved files	No	No	No	No	Yes
Maximum retrieval attempts	1	1	1	Configurable	1

Restrictions	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Depth restriction	Yes	Only retrieves 1 document	Depth of 0 or 1 only	Yes	Yes
Host restriction	Yes	N/A	No	Yes	Yes
Path restriction	Yes	N/A	No	Yes	Yes
Domain restriction	No	N/A	No	No	Yes
Custom restrictions	No	N/A	No	No	Yes
Robot exclusion	No	No	No	No	Yes

Logging	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Log files	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Remote server mapping	No	No	No	No	Yes
Server identification	No	No	No	No	Yes
Log errors	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

Network	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Spoofing	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Proxy support	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Proxy authentication	No	No	No	No	Yes
Password support	No	No	No	Basic	Basic
Variable sleep durations	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Supported protocols	HTTP	HTTP, NNTP, Gopher, FTP	HTTP	HTTP	HTTP

Other features	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Generate mailing lists	No	No	No	No	Yes
User additions while retrieving	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
HTML corrections	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Usable from scripts	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Graphical interface	Yes	No	Yes	No	No

Documentation Availability	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Format	MS Word	Text file	Text & HTML	Text file	HTML
Readability	Detailed	Brief	Brief	Brief	Detailed
On-line	WinHelp	None	None	None	Limited

Documentation Content	WebWhacker	GetURL	Web G.R.A.B.	WWWGrab	Templeton
Table of Contents	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Index	Yes	No	No	No	No
Description	Detailed	Brief	Brief	Brief	Detailed
Configuration	Detailed	Brief	Brief	Summary	Detailed
Examples	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Languages	English	English	English	English & Czech	English