Bookmark libraries seem to grow faster than we can keep up with at times. While
the Internet continues to expand, and search engines are much better at filtering
through all of that information, it does tend to take a bit of effort to discover
real gems. When we find them, we want to keep them.
On top of gem hunting, we also go through the massive amounts of temporary
research sources that collect like keepsakes in a sock drawer. Class assignments,
stock research, marketing plans, product information, vacation ideas, all get
bookmarked. Soon our bookmark list becomes virtually useless for trying to find
anything. Just like our sock drawer.
Bookmarks vs. Snapshots
A bookmark is a saved link. You found a page or website you really like, or
at least want to be able to find again, and you save the URL (hopefully giving
it a relevant name while doing so). Still it is just a link. If you are on line,
you can get back to the page. If you are not, then... you can't.
Snapshots save the whole page so that it can be viewed off-line. In IE you
can Save As, the page and create a *.MHT file (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension
HTML (MHTML)) . All relative links in the Web page are remapped and the embedded
content is included in the .MHT file. The absolute references or hyperlinks
on the Web page remain unchanged and the .MHT file is viewed using Internet
Explorer. Note: This file type can become infected and should be carefully
scanned if someone sends you a file with this extension.
If you don't have Outlook Express installed you may not have the option to
save as an archive file. In that case, use the Save As Web Page Complete option.
The main difference is that the images, sound files and other embedded file
types will be saved in a folder, rather than being stuffed into the same file
as the HTML information.
Firefox offers a more eloquent solution to the same desire. While you can use
the Save As function in the same way as IE to save the complete webpage, there
is also an extension called ScrapBook,
which not only saves the pages for offline viewing, but manages them in a easy
to work with collection.
This extension also allows you to create directories for grouping snapshots,
and has several tools for adding notes to the page, and inside the folders.
These are great options for researchers, and bargain hunters alike. You can
also attach files to the saved scrapbook pages, so that if you have the option
of recording notes, you can attach voice records to these pages as well. These
notes and files are attached to sections of the page, so you have the tools
to become just about as elaborate as you wish.
Archiving
No matter what browser you are using, its a good idea to back up your bookmark
area periodically. The best way I have found to do this for my bookmarks, is
to export the bookmarks into a file, and then email that file to my Yahoo or
Google email account. This way it is saved on a server that I can get at from
any place in the world.
With Firefox, Google went one step further with the Google
Browser Sync extension. This extension uploads your bookmarks and other
settings (as you see fit) to the Google server every time you close your browser.
This gives you two very nice options. The first is that if you start your browser,
and for some reason all of your bookmarks are gone, then you just use this extension
to Sync up your last saved settings. Also, you can be at a remote location (perhaps
at work) and sync the Firefox browser there using the same method, so that you
have all of the bookmarks and other information you do at home.
Bookmark Tools
The extensions for Firefox that deal with bookmarks are many. Trying to decide
what to highlight in this article, and what not too is obviously a matter of
perspective. So before we get into the few that I've chosen, this link will
take you to the Bookmarks
Section for Firefox. Right now, there are very few extensions for IE, and
the ones I did find are costly.
This add-on puts a icon in your menu bar, and allows you to assign websites
that you want to open on particular days of the week. If you are like me, then
there are a few sites you like to check on regularly. Morning Coffee allows
you to open all of these with a single click.
Digg is becoming a very popular website for finding interesting information.
Instead of going the Search Engine route, or the Web Directory route, Digg has
created a website that is a hybrid of both concepts. This toolbar allows you
to help create a repository of websites that are informative, and useful.
This extension gives you a message when a website has changed. I use it for
several websites, such as Google Labs. When Google posts a new tool on their
Labs page, this extension lets me know about it when I start up the browser.
GMarks works with the Google Bookmarks
and allows you to import all of your bookmarks into the Google Bookmark area.
I don't particularly like the Google
Bookmarks setup, the interface doesn't do much, and its a bit confusing
to work with, but it is nice to be able to save the bookmarks I have on another
service like this, with very little hassle.
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