WebGroups 2.0 Packs Added Punch

Web-based collaboration tool offers improved interface and Mac support.

Alexandra Barrett, special to PC World

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When it debuted earlier this year, the first version of WebGroups stood out with its proprietary binary-differencing technology, which allows only portions of a document that have changed since the last version to be uploaded and downloaded. This feature allowed Punch to deliver a credible document-collaboration tool that worked well even over low-bandwidth connections.

Another impressive feature was version control, which archives past versions of a file. This feature is especially crucial when several different people are working on a document. Punch even developed a way to automatically update files on your local hard disk, the ultimate in document version control.

My experience with Punch's WebGroups 2.0 shows that the company has maintained these key features, while making the overall product simpler to use. It's also more useful to a wider variety of people--including Macintosh users for the first time. The basic service will be free, while certain enhancements will cost a not-yet-disclosed amount.

Quicker and Simpler

Trying the product using Internet Explorer (the Netscape Navigator version is not yet available), I noticed that Punch 2.0 launches much faster than its predecessor. The interface is cleaner, with clear links to each function that you might want.

You log on in either standard or advanced mode. In advanced mode, you can upload several files simultaneously. This feature, called "publishing a directory," uploads all the files in the folder you choose. But Punch does not automatically re-create the files' parent folder on its site--you must re-create the parent folder first and change into it before piling in the files.

A virtual hard drive, known as the "Web Drive," sits above the WebGroups folder. This is simply a personal folder, useful when you work at different locations, but in need of some further integration. I was much more impressed with an implementation of the virtual hard drive by Punch competitor X:drive, in which your virtual "X" drive becomes incorporated into your Windows environment, alongside your C: and D: drives.

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