The freeware version of Bare Bones' popular HTML/text editor, BBEdit Lite (last mentioned in the August 20, 1999 Scout Report) is a good option for those who want a powerful text editor but don't necessarily want to pay for it. Version 6.1, released May 31, 2001, features a number of improvements from 4.6, the last publicly available version, including the ability to run natively on OS X, support...

BlackWidow (Version 4.1 originally reviewed) is a powerful Website scanning tool and an offline browser. It allows users to download an entire site -- including HTML files, images, cgi files, and more -- with the site structure intact. The intuitive, explorer-style interface makes BlackWidow easy to navigate, and users can specify the depth to download, the file types and sizes, wildcards, etc....

Many users may want to learn more about how to browse weblog sites more effectively, and Blog Navigator may be just the program to do the trick. The program uses RSS feeds, supports many types of sites, and also includes features for reading blogs offline. Their helpful interface makes it relatively easy to locate weblogs and peruse headlines of interest. Additionally, adding news sites and blogs...

Booktype is a web-based publishing platform that can produce books, reports, and manuals in both digital and print formats. Booktype's authoring environment is designed to be clean and intuitive, using a drag-and-drop approach for formatting and images. Multiple authors and editors can be simultaneously working on a publication, supporting a rapid pace of revisions. Booktype was originally created...

ButtonFly is an easy-to-use software for creating professional looking buttons instantly. You can apply graphic effects like natural shadow, dispersion, chromatic effects, and more. You can also establish a button template, define your section headings, and instantly create tens or even hundreds of new buttons for your site. ButtonFly takes care of all of the complex and repetitive operations,...

Movable Type has recently released version 2.0 (an upgrade from 1.4). Movable Type is a Web-based personal publishing system designed to ease the maintenance of regularly updated news or journal sites. Most importantly, this product runs on your own Web server, allowing complete control over your sites. Some of its many features include allowing the importation of entries and comments from other...

Developed by The Center for History and New Media and the Minnesota Historical Society, Omeka is a web platform for publishing exhibitions and collections online. The design of the program is intended to be best utilized by educators, cultural institutions, and those who are just plain enthusiastic about a particular subject. Visitors can download the program and get started after looking over the...

If you're looking to start your own online exhibit, you'll want to give Omeka 1.0 a test run. This web-based publishing platform was created by staff members at the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, and it allows users "to focus on content and interpretation rather than programming". First-time users may wish to look at some of the online exhibits that have been created...

Scoopt.it is an excellent service for readers who would like to curate their own content about a particular topic on the web. Conducting a web search for existing Scoop.it pages (The psychology Scoop.it, for instance, has been viewed over one million times and is updated multiple times per day.) provides a sense for what Scoop.it can do. Signing up for a free Scoop.it account (there are also...

If you are looking for a handy way to keep on top of the news and other such timely events, Shrook 2.5 will be a most welcome find. With Shrook, visitors can download any number of podcasts, and also receive instant notifications about new RSS items. Other features include the ability to “scrapbook” items for later and the ability to also use an integrated channel guide. This version is compatible...