Analog (program)
Encyclopedia
Analog is a free
web log analysis software
program that runs under Windows
, Mac OS
, Linux
, and most Unix-like
operating systems. It was first released on June 21, 1995, by Stephen Turner as generic freeware
; the license was changed to the GNU General Public License
in November 2004. The software can be downloaded for several computing platforms, or the source code can be downloaded and compiled if desired.
Analog has support for 35 languages, and provides the ability to do reverse DNS lookup
s on log files, to indicate where web site hits originate. It can analyze several different types of web server logs, including Apache
, IIS
, and iPlanet
. It has over 200 configuration options and can generate 32 reports. It also supports log files for multiple virtual hosts
.
The program is comparable to Webalizer
or AWStats
, though it does not use as many images, preferring to stick with simple bar chart
s and lists to communicate similar information.
Analog can export reports in a number of formats including HTML, XHTML, XML, Latex and a delimited output mode (for example CSV) for importing into other programs. Delimited or "computer" output from Analog is often used to generate more structured and graphically rich reports using the third party Report Magic program.
The popularity of Analog is largely unknown as no download count information has been released on its historic dissemination. In a 1998 survey by the Graphic, Visualization, & Usability Center (GVU), Analog was reportedly used by 24.9% (up from 19.9% the year before), with its nearest rival, Web Trends holding some 20.3% of the market.
It is not clear how Analog's usage has changed into the decade leading up to 2010, neither on how its usage profile has been impacted by on-line analysis services such as Google Analytics. Analog does remain relevant however given that it can operate on an individual or web-farm basis from a single process, requiring no modification of web page or web script code in order to use it. As it is a stand-alone utility, its use does not raise issues of privacy or data protection as are often concerns highlighted over the use of on-line services. Additionally, unlike with on-line script included services, it is not possible for visiting clients to block all of the logging of traffic directly from the client - improving the reliability of the log data.
Analog has not been officially updated since the version 6.0 release in December of 2004. The original author moved on to commercial traffic analysis. Updates to Analog continued informally by its user community up until the end of 2009 on the official mailing list. Currently the only formally compiled updated redistributable of Analog is that of Analog C:Amie Edition, which has focused on fixing issues in Analog's XML DTD and on adding new operating system and web browser detection to the original code branch.
14 June 1995: Analog 0.8b, the initial full testing build.
29 June 1995: Analog 0.9b was the first public release of Analog.
12 September 1995: Analog 1.0 was the first stable release.
10 February 1997: Analog 2.0 was the inital release of a native Win32 version of Analog.
15 June 1998: Analog 3.0 included support for HTTP/1.1 status codes and included a more refined log parsing engine in addition to the ability to parse non-standard log file formats.
16 November 1999: Analog 4.0 supported new reports including the Organisation Report, Operating System Report, Search Word Report, Search Query Report and Processing Time Report.
1 May, 2001: Analog 5.0 is released with support for 24 languages, a range of new configuration commands and a new LaTeX output format.
19 December, 2004: Analog 6.0 is released, including support for Palm OS and Symbian OS detection and all other changes from its 21 month beta period. Analog 6.0 was the first stable release made available under GLP license terms.
2 October 2007: Analog 6.0.1 C:Amie Edition the first release of the C:Amie maintenance branch. Included support for Windows Vista, improved support for Windows 3.11 and Windows NT 3.5 detection and allowed for the detection of the NetFront browser.
4 April 2009: Analog 6.0.4 C:Amie Edition was a bug fix release to Analog 6.0, containing bug fixes to Analog's XML output rendering and new configuration options.
18 July 2011: Analog 6.0.8 C:Amie Edition, current maintenance release with support for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango), Apple iOS 5.0 and all current Android releases.
A full list of the changes in each release is recorded in the Analog What's New Changelog.
A full list of changes in the maintenance release is recorded on the Analog C:Amie Edition page.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
web log analysis software
Web log analysis software
Web log analysis software is a simple kind of Web analytics software that parses a log file from a web server, and based on the values contained in the log file, derives indicators about who, when, and how a web server is visited...
program that runs under Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, and most Unix-like
Unix-like
A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification....
operating systems. It was first released on June 21, 1995, by Stephen Turner as generic freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
; the license was changed to the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
in November 2004. The software can be downloaded for several computing platforms, or the source code can be downloaded and compiled if desired.
Analog has support for 35 languages, and provides the ability to do reverse DNS lookup
Reverse DNS lookup
In computer networking, reverse DNS lookup or reverse DNS resolution is the determination of a domain name that is associated with a given IP address using the Domain Name System of the Internet....
s on log files, to indicate where web site hits originate. It can analyze several different types of web server logs, including Apache
Apache HTTP Server
The Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache , is web server software notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web. In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone...
, IIS
Internet Information Services
Internet Information Services – formerly called Internet Information Server – is a web server application and set of feature extension modules created by Microsoft for use with Microsoft Windows. It is the most used web server after Apache HTTP Server. IIS 7.5 supports HTTP, HTTPS,...
, and iPlanet
IPlanet
iPlanet was a product brand that was used jointly by Sun Microsystems and Netscape Communications Corporation when delivering software and services as part of a non-exclusive cross marketing deal that was also known as "A Sun|Netscape Alliance"....
. It has over 200 configuration options and can generate 32 reports. It also supports log files for multiple virtual hosts
Virtual hosting
Virtual hosting is a method for hosting multiple domain names on a server using a single IP address. This allows one server to share its resources, such as memory and processor cycles, in order to use its resources more efficiently....
.
The program is comparable to Webalizer
Webalizer
The Webalizer is a GPL application that generates web pages of analysis, from access and usage logs, i.e. it is web log analysis software. It is one of the most commonly used web server administration tools. It was initiated by Bradford L. Barrett in 1997. Statistics commonly reported by Webalizer...
or AWStats
AWStats
AWStats is an open source Web analytics reporting tool, suitable for analyzing data from Internet services such as web, streaming media, mail and FTP servers. AWStats parses and analyzes server log files, producing HTML reports. Data is visually presented within reports by tables and bar graphs...
, though it does not use as many images, preferring to stick with simple bar chart
Bar chart
A bar chart or bar graph is a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional to the values that they represent. The bars can be plotted vertically or horizontally....
s and lists to communicate similar information.
Analog can export reports in a number of formats including HTML, XHTML, XML, Latex and a delimited output mode (for example CSV) for importing into other programs. Delimited or "computer" output from Analog is often used to generate more structured and graphically rich reports using the third party Report Magic program.
The popularity of Analog is largely unknown as no download count information has been released on its historic dissemination. In a 1998 survey by the Graphic, Visualization, & Usability Center (GVU), Analog was reportedly used by 24.9% (up from 19.9% the year before), with its nearest rival, Web Trends holding some 20.3% of the market.
It is not clear how Analog's usage has changed into the decade leading up to 2010, neither on how its usage profile has been impacted by on-line analysis services such as Google Analytics. Analog does remain relevant however given that it can operate on an individual or web-farm basis from a single process, requiring no modification of web page or web script code in order to use it. As it is a stand-alone utility, its use does not raise issues of privacy or data protection as are often concerns highlighted over the use of on-line services. Additionally, unlike with on-line script included services, it is not possible for visiting clients to block all of the logging of traffic directly from the client - improving the reliability of the log data.
Analog has not been officially updated since the version 6.0 release in December of 2004. The original author moved on to commercial traffic analysis. Updates to Analog continued informally by its user community up until the end of 2009 on the official mailing list. Currently the only formally compiled updated redistributable of Analog is that of Analog C:Amie Edition, which has focused on fixing issues in Analog's XML DTD and on adding new operating system and web browser detection to the original code branch.
History
Analog was first released in June 1995, as research project by its creator Dr. Stephen Turner, then working as a research fellow in Sidney Sussex College in the University of Cambridge.. Some of the larger release milestones include:14 June 1995: Analog 0.8b, the initial full testing build.
29 June 1995: Analog 0.9b was the first public release of Analog.
12 September 1995: Analog 1.0 was the first stable release.
10 February 1997: Analog 2.0 was the inital release of a native Win32 version of Analog.
15 June 1998: Analog 3.0 included support for HTTP/1.1 status codes and included a more refined log parsing engine in addition to the ability to parse non-standard log file formats.
16 November 1999: Analog 4.0 supported new reports including the Organisation Report, Operating System Report, Search Word Report, Search Query Report and Processing Time Report.
1 May, 2001: Analog 5.0 is released with support for 24 languages, a range of new configuration commands and a new LaTeX output format.
19 December, 2004: Analog 6.0 is released, including support for Palm OS and Symbian OS detection and all other changes from its 21 month beta period. Analog 6.0 was the first stable release made available under GLP license terms.
2 October 2007: Analog 6.0.1 C:Amie Edition the first release of the C:Amie maintenance branch. Included support for Windows Vista, improved support for Windows 3.11 and Windows NT 3.5 detection and allowed for the detection of the NetFront browser.
4 April 2009: Analog 6.0.4 C:Amie Edition was a bug fix release to Analog 6.0, containing bug fixes to Analog's XML output rendering and new configuration options.
18 July 2011: Analog 6.0.8 C:Amie Edition, current maintenance release with support for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango), Apple iOS 5.0 and all current Android releases.
A full list of the changes in each release is recorded in the Analog What's New Changelog.
A full list of changes in the maintenance release is recorded on the Analog C:Amie Edition page.