WebFerret is the FREE version of the WebFerretPRO without the advanced features.  WebFerret queries popular Web-based search engines, quickly and efficiently finding web pages the user is looking for on the World Wide Web.

EmailFerret seeks out email addresses, querying Web-based email directories. Addresses can then be added to your address book, copied or mailed to, using your standard email client.

FileFerret searches both Web-based file databases and the Archie protocol databases for shareware, public domain software and other files. The files can then be downloaded using FileFerrets built-in FTP.

IRCFerret is the easiest way to locate other users of various Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks. Searches are specified by the keywords, matching them against every IRC user's details in the chosen channel. It will search most of the major and a few minor IRC networks around the world.

NewsFerret searches multiple newsgroups to locate Usenet articles, automatically joining multi-part messages together and decoding binary attachments. The articles can then be retrieved and displayed, or saved for later review.

PhoneFerret locates telephone numbers by searching the most popular phone number directories. For users with the Dialer software installed, numbers can be directly dialed from the search results.

The FerretSoft Concept

The new Internet user can execute searches for a wide range of Internet resources within seconds of installation without needing to learn any new jargon or applications. Experienced users will find the tools are powerful time-savers. A unique aspect of the NetFerret utilities, is its phenomenal speed and responsiveness combined with their simplicity. The time required to launch the software, enter the search keywords, and receive meaningful results only takes seconds! The major design goal was to produce a set of utilities that conform to the true definition of a software utility: compact, highly responsive, single-step tools that can be brought instantly into action throughout the day with very little system overhead. Complex configuration of bloatware-type features have been purposely omitted. Other design goals included simple installation, portability, and common core components in order to produce "new" Ferrets easily.

The Internet is dynamic and constantly changing, with new search engines appearing, and existing engines changing their own interfaces and adding features regularly.  The NetFerret tools cope with this dynamism in a unique way: The instructions for understanding a search engine are separate to the actual software implementation.  Every time a utility is run, it automatically checks the FerretSoft configuration server for any updates.  Updates and new search engine configurations are extremely small and the entire update process is blindly fast and unnoticeable. The net result is a maintenance-free set of utilities that keep pace with the growing and changing Internet. 

Making extensive use of the multithreading capabilities of Windows95 and Windows NT, all the NetFerret tools query multiple databases or search engines simultaneously. Query results are made available immediately and can be acted upon by a simple double-click on the result of interest. This will open up the user's default browser or tool associated with the URL, while the query can continue in the background.