HTTrack is a free and open-source offline browser utility. It allows users to download websites from the internet to a local directory, building recursively all directories, getting HTML, images, and other files from the server to your computer. HTTrack arranges the original site's relative link-structure. Users can browse the saved website offline, updating existing mirrored sites, and resume interrupted downloads. It supports various connection protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP, and has options for proxy support and filters to exclude specific file types or directories. Essentially, HTTrack lets you create a local, navigable copy of a website for offline access.
Imapsync is a command-line tool designed for synchronizing or migrating email accounts between IMAP servers. It supports a wide range of scenarios, including one-way and two-way synchronization, transferring emails between different providers, migrating to a new server, and creating backups. Imapsync offers features like folder filtering, bandwidth control, SSL/TLS encryption, and the ability to resume interrupted transfers. It prioritizes data safety and accuracy, employing techniques like dry runs to preview changes and MD5 checksum comparisons to verify message integrity. While primarily aimed at advanced users comfortable with command-line interfaces, its documentation provides detailed instructions and examples.
Hacker News users discuss imapsync's utility for migrating email, highlighting its speed and effectiveness, particularly with large mailboxes. Some users praise its ability to handle complex migrations across different providers, while others caution about potential issues like duplicate emails if not used carefully. Several commenters suggest alternative tools like OfflineIMAP, isync, and mbsync, comparing their features and ease of use to imapsync. A few users also share their experiences using imapsync for specific migration scenarios, offering practical tips and workarounds for common challenges.
This spreadsheet documents a personal file system designed to mitigate data loss at home. It outlines a tiered backup strategy using various methods and media, including cloud storage (Google Drive, Backblaze), local network drives (NAS), and external hard drives. The system emphasizes redundancy by storing multiple copies of important data in different locations, and incorporates a structured approach to file organization and a regular backup schedule. The author categorizes their data by importance and sensitivity, employing different strategies for each category, reflecting a focus on preserving critical data in the event of various failure scenarios, from accidental deletion to hardware malfunction or even house fire.
Several commenters on Hacker News expressed skepticism about the practicality and necessity of the "Home Loss File System" presented in the linked Google Doc. Some questioned the complexity introduced by the system, suggesting simpler solutions like cloud backups or RAID would be more effective and less prone to user error. Others pointed out potential vulnerabilities related to security and data integrity, especially concerning the proposed encryption method and the reliance on physical media exchange. A few commenters questioned the overall value proposition, arguing that the risk of complete home loss, while real, might be better mitigated through insurance rather than a complex custom file system. The discussion also touched on potential improvements to the system, such as using existing decentralized storage solutions and more robust encryption algorithms.
Summary of Comments ( 32 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43402149
Hacker News users discuss HTTrack's practicality and alternatives. Some highlight its usefulness for archiving websites, creating offline backups, and mirroring content for development or personal use, while acknowledging its limitations with dynamic content. Others suggest using
wgetwith appropriate flags as a more powerful and flexible command-line alternative, or browser extensions like "SingleFile" for simpler, single-page archiving. Concerns about respectingrobots.txtand website terms of service are also raised. Several users mention using HTTrack in the past, indicating its long-standing presence as a website copying tool. Some discuss its ability to resume interrupted downloads, a feature considered beneficial.The Hacker News post titled "HTTrack Website Copier" generated a moderate number of comments, many focusing on use cases, alternatives, and the legality of mirroring websites.
Several commenters discussed the legal implications of using HTTrack, emphasizing the importance of respecting robots.txt and terms of service. One user highlighted the potential legal issues of downloading copyrighted material, especially if done for commercial purposes. Another cautioned against inadvertently mirroring sensitive information like internal documentation or user data that wasn't intended for public access. The general consensus seemed to be that using HTTrack for personal archiving of publicly accessible content was generally acceptable, provided site rules were respected, but commercial use or mirroring of private content was risky.
A few users shared their personal experiences with HTTrack, describing it as a useful tool for creating local backups of websites they owned or managed, or for downloading specific sections of sites for offline reading. One commenter mentioned using it to download documentation for software libraries, highlighting its utility in situations where consistent internet access wasn't guaranteed. Others mentioned using it for archiving personal websites or blogs.
Alternatives to HTTrack were also discussed. wget was a frequently mentioned alternative, praised for its command-line interface and scripting capabilities. Another user suggested SiteSucker as a user-friendly option for macOS. The discussion around alternatives often revolved around specific features, such as handling JavaScript and dynamic content, or the ability to recursively download linked resources.
Some comments explored more niche use cases. One commenter mentioned using HTTrack for competitive analysis, downloading competitor websites to analyze their structure and content. Another user discussed using it for research purposes, archiving web pages related to specific topics for later analysis.
While some expressed concerns about the project's apparent lack of recent updates, others noted its stability and the fact that it continued to function effectively for their needs. Overall, the comments painted a picture of HTTrack as a somewhat dated but still functional tool with a range of potential applications, albeit one that needs to be used responsibly and with an awareness of potential legal implications.