If you're looking at log files, a tool I've started to play with is http://lnav.org/

= In Your Terminal = Many logging tools, like Splunk, provide great features but are optimized for large-scale deployments. They require installing and configuring servers before they can be effectively used. There is still a need for a robust log file analyzer for the terminal.

= Easy to Use = Just point lnav to a directory and it will take care of the rest. File formats are automatically detected and compressed files are unpacked on the fly.

= Improved Presentation = Log files are a wealth of information, lnav can help highlight the parts that are important and filter out the noise.