SAN FRANCISCO (03/21/2000) - Finding information on the Web is easy; organizing it can be a nightmare. AskSam Systems Inc.'s $30 SurfSaver Pro 2 and Giage Inc.'s $179 WebSpace Professional go beyond browser bookmark tools to help you save and organize information--in very different ways.
SurfSaver Pro 2 adds special search and page-save features to Internet Explorer that permit you to store material in a virtual file cabinet. You can share files with users on a network, and assign keywords, notes, and other properties to pages--useful for subsequent searches. Links on saved pages remain live; when you click one, SurfSaver checks for a local copy. A free desktop-only version of the program displays ads while saving content.
WebSpace Professional incorporates Internet Explorer technology into multipanel WebSpaces (virtual file cabinets that differ from SurfSaver's). You can collect information from such disparate sources as the Web (while you surf), e-mail, and your contact database. And you can view Outlook 2000 e-mail and contacts from within WebSpace.
While SurfSaver and WebSpace handle many complex Web formats, both stumble on JavaScript. WebSpace does recognize more types of files, but it lacks an internal search engine--a SurfSaver feature.
If you need instant archiving of basic Web pages, SurfSaver Pro 2 qualifies as an excellent solution. WebSpace Professional, on the other hand, is worth a look only if you can take advantage of its Outlook integration; otherwise, you'll find similar help for less money elsewhere.
File anything: Store and organize related Web content, e-mail, and even contact information in multipaneled WebSpace Professional.
SurfSaver Pro 2
Pro: Fast saves, easy searching.
Con: No support for multimedia or other files.
Value: A well-designed bargain.
Street price: $30
AskSam Systems
800/800-1997
www.surfsaver.com
Product Info No. 717
WebSpace Professional
Pro: Supports many file formats.
Con: No search engine; expensive.
Value: Most useful for Outlook users collecting disparate info.
Street price: $179
Giage
513/562-8700
www.webspace.com.