Isn't it Time For a Global Bookmarks Menu?

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
I've been convinced time and time again recently that there should be a global bookmarks/favorites menu in OS X. Here's why I believe that:



1) We use multiple browsers. I continue to support Omniweb, even though Safari is my primary OS X browser. Moreoever, I encountered a site last night that would render correctly only in Camino. Since multiple browsers are employed, there are multiple, disparate bookmarks files. I'll bookmark something in one browser and then want to find that bookmark in another, and I'll have to return to the other browser to grab it. That wastes a lot of my time.



2) Because of browser consolidation, there's no reason not to have a universal bookmark file format. Safari and Camino are Apple's property, and Omni will most certainly jump on board. That leaves IE and Mozilla/Netscape. IE is dead unless and until MS gives us something better than the abomination that is IE 5 on OS X. Mozilla/Netscape don't have to get involved, and since they are inherently cross platform by design, those developers won't wish to anyway.



3) Bookmarks should be universally accessible. I should be able to access my bookmarks from any application. Although our paradigm is still strongly application based, we're moving toward document centrism. It shouldn't matter where I'm working, I should have access to the data I need.



Though there are applications that attempt to harmonize the disparate bookmark files, their methods are definitely forced. (And that's not to disparage those applications -- I just think it could be handled more cleanly with a universal format/menu.) I can't see any downside to a global Bookmarks system. To the contrary, I think it makes a lot of sense. Anyone else agree?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    check out bookit on apple's os X downloads site...
  • Reply 2 of 14
    der kopfder kopf Posts: 2,275member
    I believe html would be quite perfect for this. I even believe IE stores its favorites in a simple html file.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    There is already a global place for bookmarks in Mac OS X. No one uses it, though, it seems.



    ~/Library/Favorites



    Of course, this is the same place that's accessed by the Open/Save dialogs. So, maybe that's why it isn't used as a bookmark repository by many.



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  • Reply 4 of 14
    mrmistermrmister Posts: 1,095member
    Bookit does this already, as a previous poster noted, and let me say that it is a fantastic app--I love it.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    serranoserrano Posts: 1,806member
    I deffinetly consider this an area for 3rd party apps.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Like Brad says, just drag and drop URLs to the Favorites folder or whatever folder you choose...then stick it in the Dock. Violin, there's your universal bookmarks folder!
  • Reply 7 of 14
    foadfoad Posts: 717member
    As mentioned there is a utility that does just this. It is called BOOKIT.



    More info can be found at http://www.everydaysoftware.net/bookit/
  • Reply 8 of 14
    frawgzfrawgz Posts: 547member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Eugene

    Violin



  • Reply 9 of 14
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member




  • Reply 10 of 14
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    re: Big Mac's post, absolutely. This is genius.



    And screw html, make it xml, so that other apps can make sense of it. It think Apple should integrate this into their fancy-shmancy DB filesystem, coming in Phanter.



    BTW, foad, you have the raddest nick.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    foadfoad Posts: 717member
    haha...thanks!



    My nick happens to be my name as well.



    Fo - like tow

    ad - like add



    If you only knew the amount of different ways I have heard it pronounced...I could probably make a nice little book just listing them.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Brad

    There is already a global place for bookmarks in Mac OS X. No one uses it, though, it seems.



    ~/Library/Favorites



    Of course, this is the same place that's accessed by the Open/Save dialogs. So, maybe that's why it isn't used as a bookmark repository by many.



    \




    Well, we could all throw VCard files in there too, but I prefer the Address Book...



    I've thought the bookmark database idea has had merit for a while.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by frawgz





  • Reply 14 of 14
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    A global bookmarks menu would be useful to at least me, you, and quite a few other AIers.



    But it is important to note that nearly all computer users rely on a single browser. Also, bookmarks are surprisingly unused by many users. Myself? I rely solely on google and address bar type-ahead.



    I'm all for universal bookmarks... just as I'm all for:
    • a universal document format

    • a universal media player

    • a universal browser that works on all pages

    Not that its a bad idea, only that the relative demand is less than one might expect. I'd rather development resources went toward CSS and plug-in compatibility. Too bad developers didn't get it 'right' from the start so that it wouldn't have to be 'fixed'.

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