Web Whacking
I
only have one connection in my
classroom, but I want to access
websites on all my
computers.
My
students can't sit still long enough to
load an image-intensive web
page.
I
have some computers that are too slow
to run Internet, but can still run a
web browser.
When
doing presentations, I'd like to have
the websites available without needing
an Internet connection.
There are many times
when you'd like to have a website ready to use, but
you don't have the time or connection to load it in
class or for a presentation. Utility software can
solve your problem. It's possible to download websites
for use on your hard drive without a network
connection. This process is sometimes called "web page
harvesting", but most people call it "whacking" the
site.
In the mid 1990s a
software package called Web Whacker was introduced.
This "off-line browsing tool" allowed users to
download or "whack" web pages for use later. Although
Web Whacker has gone through numerous versions, it is
still the most popular package for downloading web
pages to your hard drive. Available for both Macintosh
and Windows systems, you can easily download and try
Web Whacker before purchasing.
Download a 30-Day (or
15 whack) demo of Web Whacker at BlueSquirrel.
Besides Web Whacker, there are other programs that will help you download web pages. There are shareware and low cost alternatives such as WebFetch, and Web Retriever, but I'd recommend the original Web Whacker.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are pros and cons to downloading websites for use off-line.
Pros
- Software is easy to use.
- No network connection needed after the site is whacked.
- Loads fast from your hard drive.
- Good for large group instruction and presentations.
Cons
- Network connection needed to download sites
- Requires space on hard drive
- Requires good hard drive file management (can be confusing to open because of renaming)
- Links beyond the pages whacked don't work (can lead to frustration)
- You don't have the "up-to-date" version of the page
- You're not using the pages the way they were "intended"
- Possible copyright issues related to loading on multiple computers
Making the Decision
to Whack
When making the decision whether or not to whack a web page, consider the following issues:
Whack it if...
- you want total control over what students see and do with a web page.
- you're concerned that the web page might "disappear".
- you're teaching a class or doing a presentation in a room without net access.
- you need to be able to move around and scroll down the web page.
- your Internet access is slow or unreliable and you want speed.
- you want to use a website that takes a long time to load.
- the information doesn't not need to be current or timely.
- the websites is content-rich, but doesn't have many external links (such as tutorials, slide shows).
Don't Whack it if...
- you need the most current update of the website (such as current events, weather).
- the website contains lots of links to other websites.
- you just need a screen dump for a linear presentation (use screen capture software).
Final Thoughts
A primary value of the Internet is the ability to interact with others and link to connected ideas and resources. When you harvest a site, you lose many of those benefits. In some cases, printing the website might be just as effective as viewing it from a screen. Before using any website, consider its value and how students and teachers will benefit from its use.
Try
Web Whacker
Download
the Web
Whacker demo and give it a try.
If you'd
like some step-by-step instructions,
download the Web
Whacker Worksheet in PDF.
Try whacking one of the following information-rich web pages:
- Big Horn Sheep
- Elk
- Internet Public Library
- How Things Work: Choose a section
- SparkNotes: Choose a section, you'll need 2 levels
- Five Paragraph Wizard
- Great Plant Escape - 2 levels