GetRight

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Originally published at Internet.com

While not a true FTP client per se, nevertheless GetRight is an essential tool for transferring files from remote FTP and HTTP (Web) sites to your local computer. GetRight is beneficial in a number of ways — for 'net novices it makes downloading, installing, and running applications much simpler and less problematic than with browsers, and for experts it presents a number of features and options for customizing the program that you won't find in the built-in FTP clients of Web browsers.

The Beauty of GetRight

When downloading a file from your web browser, GetRight intercepts the download request and automatically begins downloading the file. Options are available for executing or viewing the file upon download (turned off by default but definitely recommended), downloading as normal and then automatically disconnecting from the Internet and/or turning your computer off upon completion, or adding the file to a 'to do' list of scheduled downloads. There's also an extremely useful option for automatically sending downloaded files to your virus scanner to check the file for viruses (also highly recommended).

Another strength of GetRight is its ability to track alternative addresses where files may be downloaded. You can choose to have the program automatically find and download the file from the server expected to deliver the best performance. GetRight can also switch between sites if one is busy or other problems arise. In addition to GetRight's own list of mirror sites, you can also add your own list of favorite servers (which are given preference over other mirror sites).

Features, Features, and More Features

Among its many critical features, GetRight offers automatic resume for failed downloads, error recovery, clipboard monitoring for working with applications other than Web browsers (this is in addition to GetRight's browser monitoring capabilities), download limits when automatically downloading files (limits the number of files to be downloaded simultaneously and/or the speed of the transfers), customizable sound alerts for a variety of program functions, and a Configuration Wizard for easing the task of getting up and running with GetRight.

Advanced features include download scheduling capabilities, an option for automatically finding the fastest server to download from, traybar icons with status information, and more. And if you dislike the download status windows associated with your browser, you'll be relieved to know that GetRight offers five different download window options, including a normal browser-sized status meter, a smaller download window, a minimized window, a traybar icon, or no window at all (completely hidden).

One ultra-useful new feature as of v4.1 is the Segmented Downloading capability, which can dramatically improve the speed of your downloads by splitting a file into pieces and downloading the different parts from different servers at the same time.

The Bottom Line

One potential drawback to GetRight is that while it does offer browser download monitoring as a core feature, only v4.0 and higher of Internet Explorer support this (all versions of Netscape Navigator/Communicator are supported). Still, if you're using a browser supported by GetRight and are looking to improve the speed of your browser downloads or you just want to expedite the process itself by reducing the number of steps you have to click through, no other app does a better job of accomplishing both than the attractively priced ($20) GetRight.