Download/HomepageThis is a bit of an odd review because it's focus
is on a program that is not really intended to be a program,
rather it is a plug-in module with another program as it's
parent. Confused, well let me explain!
I first downloaded Internet Loafer when it was at version 3.1 but
I don't recall exactly how I came to find it. It was only much
later that I realized it was an included module of the program
AutoWinNet95. So this makes you aware that Internet Loafer can be
run as a stand-alone product.
As you might have guessed by now, Internet Loafer is a Ping ( or
is that a Pong ), no, it is a Ping program. Let me state for the
record, I am not an internet loafer, which is to say, I don't
have supper and stay connected, I don't shop for groceries and
stay connected, and I don't take a nap and stay connected. But I
don't want to log off to answer the phone or the doorbell, nor
when my two dogs alert me to another animal in the yard, or a
leaf that fell from the tree onto their turf. And I certainly
don't want to be disconnected during a download or because I am
reading a long document to slowly. To the rescue comes this FREE
trickster that sends out a signal suggesting I am as busy as a
beaver at dam building time. As the company rightly suggests,
don't hog a connection for frivolous reasons, but if you have
experienced a disconnection at the most inopportune time,
Internet Loafer will solve the problem for you.
Loafer is very easy to install and there is an abundance of ways
to configure it. Once you run the program it appears on screen,
selects it's first site to ping, then reverts to an icon in your
tray. If you right-click on the monitor icon in the tray you are
presented with a menu that includes, Restore Loafer, Ping Now,
Commands, Dialing Config, Email, Proxy Server, Speed Options,
What to See, On Errors, Randomize Stuff, About AutoWinNet95,
Help, and Exit. I will mention a few of the more important
features. You can check unlimited Email accounts while pinging,
hang-up your Internet connection on command, ping at random
intervals and random sites, change the site on ping failure,
sound alarms when mail is waiting, track time statistics, and
stop pinging and restart at any time. There are many other
options from which you can choose, including the ability to
create your own list of sites to ping.
The other major benefit to the module is that it does not just
ping sites, it actually emulates activity such as web, news,
Email, gopher, finger whois, mail, and time clients. Therefore
your ISP thinks your are one busy dude or dudess:) Again, for the
sake of others trying to connect, don't park on your connection
while you have no intention of surfing, but I do recommend this
program/module to put an end to your disconnection woes. It is an
excellent addition to your utilities which does exactly what it
should and a whole lot more.
As I mentioned at the outset of this review, Internet Loafer,
along with Email Manipulator and Task Trooper are modules of the
main program AutoWinNet95. Within a few weeks I will review this
parent shareware program and report to you whether it is as good
as it's child plug-in.
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