Query remote website for activity

Hello, i am new here so any help would be appriciated!

I am basically looking for a function to do this:

PHP:

$result = QueryWebsite($WebsiteURL);
  if ($result) { return true; } else {return false;}

The function would query the website, if a reply is recieved, then the website is active, if not it is inactive and i can use email alerts to email me.. etc..

I am a web developer and this is going to be part of a web design manager so i can see if any sites i maintain have been inactive.

Thanks in advance

 

I Assume you mean the PEAR package? i didnt realy think of using ping, cheers ill have a look at that