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We need to make bookmarks a common way to access the web again! So many people use Google or other search engines to access even the most basic sites, instead o
by rsolva 2y ago
We need to make bookmarks a common way to access the web again! So many people use Google or other search engines to access even the most basic sites, instead of storing a bookmark or typing out the whole URL.
I have used a simple bookmarking strategy in Firefox for some years now, simply storing everything and anything I suspect I might want to retrieve later. I give each bookmark a few quick keywords and store it all in one folder. No hierarchy. It's surprisingly useful and has helped me retrieve so much stuff from my vague long term memory.
In addition, I flush the cache automatically every time I close the browser and curate a list of sites that are exempted from the flush. I have also turned off search words suggestions in the address bar, leaving me with a tidy and usefull experience that helps me find what I'm looking for in seconds. Only saved sites show up when I start typing.
But most browsers, including Firefox, need to improve their bookmarking system. I can't add keywords to bookmarks from the mobile browser. Why not? And the bookmark UI has gotten little attention for literally decades.
It would not help all smaller sites, but it would help some, if browsers would improve the storing, managing and retrieving of bookmarks.
- machiaweliczny 2y agoHow about social features like sharing bookmarks or having curated list for specific subjects When I want to share bookmark folder for other collegues I have to go trough hoops (at least on chrome)
- crucialfelix 2y agoThat's what https://del.icio.us/ https://del.icio.us/ was. It was very social in the best sense of the word.
- A_D_E_P_T 2y agoYeah, and, along the same lines, directories should perhaps also make a comeback -- like the old Yahoo! Directory or DMOZ. Just a carefully curated and organized list of trusted sites that are made and managed by humans and for humans. Unlike, say, DMOZ, the directory of the future should be easier to navigate and incorporate "modern" features -- and it should also be easily searchable. (All sites on the directory are indexed; no sites off the directory are indexed.) Searching for B2B products and services has become a lot tougher lately. A good directory could conceivably make a meaningful difference.
- JKCalhoun 2y agoCould work. We have databases behind PiHole, could have something similar to filter search results.
- cageface 2y agoI’ve been saying for two years now that curated directories are poised to make a comeback on the web. It just needs a critical mass of curators. I think this is why those awesome-$tech lists are so popular.
- EasyMark 2y agoI mean they might have a mini revival but i think we've gone too far to change the process of the general population. Indexes appeal to more organized people who like such things, most of us just throw everything in a pile in a well known location (google) and rifle through that.
- A_D_E_P_T 2y agoIdeally a "modern" directory should be easily searchable as well -- just very selective in what it indexes. The basic UI could be similar to a search engine, yet with a transparent foundation that could also be perused in a different way.
- renegat0x0 2y agoI have been collecting personal sites for some time. Format JSON files. Links have tag 'personal'. https://github.com/rumca-js/Internet-Places-Database https://github.com/rumca-js/Internet-Places-Database
- 6510 2y agoYou could make the topical hierarchy as deep as possible and build a search that only searches the current category. I recon LLM's, with minimal oversight, could file websites as well as articles on websites under all the appropriate categories. Google is highly confused about articles vs websites about a topic. There should be a distinction. Sometimes I want a website, sometimes just an article. Making it into a distributed index complete with cached copies seems fun. Have the hosted giant monolith mirror to fail back on but attempt to do everything p2p. Maybe it should bluntly show a dialog in the corner of the screen with closest related websites (or pages) and a button to further browse the index using the current page as the query. Basically contextual advertisement only for free.
- mejutoco 2y agoRegarding desktop bookmarks: Adding tags on Firefox is so natural (ctrl+D and maybe tab for comma separated tags). In Chrome it is not possible without an extension.
- EasyMark 2y agocan't you just save them on the end of the title? doesnt it search through the titles when searching the bookmarks? It's all just a big grep through your bookmarks anyway whether it's in tags or titles
- asadotzler 2y agoTags add your searchable word to the bookmark in cases the tile or url aren't enough. Tags are just one more thing you can very easily and quickly filter on too. See the footer of the Firefox autocomplete popup for some other things you can filter on like bookmarks and open tabs. Or you can use a shortcut like # to filter results to just those bookmarks tagged with your term. Type * in the address bar followed by your search term to search within your bookmarks. Type # in the address bar followed by your search term to search within your tags. Type % in the address bar followed by your search term to search within your open tabs. See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/address-bar-autocomplete-firefox#w_changing-results-on-the-fly https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/address-bar-autocomplet... for the full list.
- mejutoco 2y agoThat is exactly what an extension I use does, but it adds friction compared to Firefox ergonomic one.
- bimodalblitz 2y agoI just started using BookmarkOS: https://BookmarkOS.com https://BookmarkOS.com
- balder1991 2y agoInteresting. I’ve been sort of using Notion but by creating pages of concepts I want to save interesting quotes, links etc. It makes searching later very easy and also helps me build my own knowledge over time.