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| SurfSaver 2.1 | Utilities |
 There are many alternative approaches that an attorney may adopt
for promoting comfortably venturing onto the uncertain Web surf. Using a favorite search
engine, meta-search engine or directory has become commonplace. The URLs for search tools
are typically invoked via Bookmarks or Favorites menu options. Such remembering devices,
of course, may be used for any site on the Web. Nevertheless, many users simply remember
the URLs because of vendors’ intuitive or obvious domain names.Theoretically, to link to a preferred site, a user simply invokes either a particular Bookmarks or Favorites menu selection or manually keys in the URL. Frequently, URLs are discontinued or are superseded so that this locator methodology delivers a user to Never Never Land. With SurfSaver, rather than merely saving a URL corresponding to a favorite site, the entire look and feel of a Web site may be saved. All aspects of a site’s personality and idiosyncrasies may be saved for subsequent retrieval, including the literal format, frames, colors, graphics and sounds; optionally, all or some of the underlying links may be saved, too. Accompanying this comprehensive site save operation, you are afforded the option to specify title information, keywords (for subsequent searching and retrieval) and annotations. The icing on the cake is the ability to organize your saved sites into folders and even filing cabinets. In short, SurfSaver provides a fool-proof vehicle for staying dry and, hopefully, productive on the Web. Procedurally, SurfSaver becomes a plug-in for either Netscape Navigator (4.x or later) or Microsoft Internet Explorer (5.x or later). During the smooth-as-silk installation, SurfSaver ascertains a computer’s browser situation and then routinely plugs itself in. The modus operandi for invoking the benefits of SurfSaver is quite simple. For menu-driven users under Netscape, either the SurfSaver button in the Personal Toolbar or the SurfSaver Save menu command in the Bookmarks submenu is selected. Under Internet Explorer, it’s preferable to right click while positioning the mouse pointer on a Web page; the SurfSaver screen superimposes itself thereupon. Also, a user may opt for a SurfSaver Frame that has buttons to invoke its Save, QuickSave and Search functions. Once the SurfSaver Save Screen has been invoked, the following are displayed: a folder list window on the left; URL-related information consisting of Title, Keywords and Notes on the upper right; and URL-save specifics on the lower right. While SurfSaver automatically inserts what it considers to be a logical title into the Title window (or Title field), the user should manually provide more specific title information. For subsequent searching purposes, title information proves to be rather valuable, particularly if the ListAll function is selected. While saving a site, keywords may be entered into the Keywords window for subsequent searching. Notes and comments may be entered into the Notes window. Prior to saving a site, a new folder may be added by clicking a familiar New Folder icon located on the top left of the SurfSaver dialog box. A pre-existing folder easily may be found by walking down the folder tree window or by clicking the Browse icon located to the right of the New Folder icon. Between these two icons is a nifty Filing Cabinet icon that affords the convenience of organizing a set of folders into their very own virtual file cabinet. An effective use of SurfSaver is to record the actual results of legal research, including classical case law research, trademark searches, existence and ownership of domain names, etc. For example, suppose that it becomes necessary to establish whether or not a client may be faced with cybersquatting implications by adopting use of a particular wordmark as a URL. Using an appropriate trademark search engine, e.g., MicroPatent MarkSearch Pro or the search facility provided by the Assistant Commissioner For Trademarks, a search of relevant federal trademark registrations and pending applications for registration is conducted. Related searching of Web sites also is conducted. As these component searches are performed, results — including design marks — may be saved via SurfSaver into a “tm searches” folder or perhaps a folder specific to a client. These results may be copied and pasted into a customized search report and may be retrieved for reference from this SurfSaver-provided archive. Thus, SurfSaver enables attorneys to completely document any Web-based event. Once Web information is stored into a folder, retrieval also is convenient and intuitive. SurfSaver is invoked within a browser, and the Search menu option is selected. The Search dialog box provides the option to search for actual text excerpts in the Full Text window; for words in a title in the Title window; for keywords in the Keywords window; for text excerpts in the Notes window; and even for a particular URL. Prior to invoking a search, the applicable folder or filing cabinet is specified. To avoid saving redundant sites, SurfSaver will check for duplicates during save operations so that older pages may be superseded. The order of displaying saved pages may be specified. |
askSam Systems (800) 800-1997 www.surfsaver.com Windows 95/98/NT $29.95; $39.95 CD version ($10.00 upgrade) Reviewed by Al Harrison, intellectual property lawyer, Harrison & Egbert, Houston, Texas PROS CONS VERDICT |
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