How would you answer this?

[Dos_Box]

For those that don't know, I write the helpline column in PC Advisor magazine, and one question that I have been given this month is this one:

 

I connect to the Internet via Mobile Broadband and therefore only connect when I need to.

The problem I am having is that I am now unable to view any webpages held in History whilst I am Offline.

In the past, whilst Offline, I could open Explorer History and view most pages I had previously visited.

I could also do this by using 'Google Desktop Search' providing I did not tick 'work offline' in Internet Explorer Tools.

I have now also tried 'Copernic Desktop Search', but in all instances all that happens is that, instead of viewing the page selected or searched for, an Internet Explorer page opens with the message 'Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage'.

Can you please advise how I can view History pages without having to be connected to the Internet?

 

Please bare in mind I have already answered this question. What I want to know from you guys is any suggestions as to how they have been able to view pages offline? Fair enough if they are cached static pages, but surely they have been viewing dynamic content too. How has they managed to cache it? Very bizzare.

[CESIL]

In the past, whilst Offline, I could open Explorer History and view most pages I had previously visited.

 

Only MOST pages could be visited...perhaps these were static pages...

[jamesb]

I could also do this by using 'Google Desktop Search' providing I did not tick 'work offline' in Internet Explorer Tools.

 

The only thing I can think of is that they were connecting automatically.

[riskyburden]

"Google Desktop creates cached copies (snapshots) of your files and other items each time that you view them and stores these copies on your computer's hard drive. As a result, you can often use Desktop to find items that you accidentally deleted, instead of having to recreate them from scratch." It does this whenever the PC is idle for more than 30 seconds maybe this persons got a different virus/spyware scanner thats stopping it. I might be barking up the wrong tree here but that might also suggest its one of these programs that clear the internet cache each time you exit IE.

[Dos_Box]

Only MOST pages could be visited...perhaps these were static pages...

 

 

yeah. My answer did concentrate on explaining caching and dynamic vs static content.

[CESIL]

I also wonder what browser he is using and whether an update has started clearing his history etc. for "privacy" reasons?