WebBasedBookmarks

=Web-Based Bookmark Managers= Never be without your bookmarks again! Are you tired of losing your bookmarks every time your computer is re-imaged? Working from home and don't have your computer with you, but you need a site that you bookmarked earlier in the day? Want to know which great sites other teachers are finding when they are creating their lesson plans? You have a number of options to solve these problems...options that range from a Ford Focus to a Cadillac.

Let's begin with the basics. A web-based bookmark manager simply allows you to bookmark your favorite web sites using a free, online service. This means that instead of housing all of your favorites within the "Bookmarks" section of your Internet Browser on a single computer, you are able to store your bookmarks online and access them from any computer. As I mentioned above, there are many choices when it comes to web-based managers. Here's an overview of three that will have you up and bookmarking online in minutes!


 * [|ikeepbookmarks.com]** - This is an easy to use site. Create folders to help you keep links organized. After setting up your account you can share that Account Name (not the password) with others so they can see what you've bookmarked. You can check out the various samples prior to creating your account. Just like the Ford Focus is dependable, gets you where you need to go and doesn't have as many parts to break, ikeepbookmarks.com gets the job done and will get your bookmarks online. (You can view my iKeepBookmarks account [|here]. Enter "Mrs. Jensen" as the account name - no password is needed.)


 * [|delicious.com]** - "The tastiest bookmarks on the web." Delicious is a social bookmarking service. Not only are you able to save your own bookmarks, but you can share those with others (which allows them to bookmark the sites themselves) and you have access to what other people are bookmarking. Instead of using the traditional folder to organize your bookmarks, you utilize tags. Tags are just the words you use to describe your bookmarks. These tags are also what allow you to see what others are bookmarking. Finally, you can install a button on your tool bar that allows you to post to your Delicious account with a single click. I would compare this manager to a Honda Accord in that it is still dependable, but has a few more bells and whistles which make your life online a little more enjoyable. (You can view my Delicious account [|here].)


 * [|diigo.com]** - Wow - where to begin? Take all the features I've mentioned above and toss in several shots of espresso! Just like the other web-based services, Diigo allows you to do the following: save your favorites and bookmarks to the Internet, organize them using tags, share your bookmarks, and see what others are bookmarking. This is where the similarities end and the uniqueness begins. Interact with the web like never before - highlight, comment, and leave stickies while you read and research. Your annotations can either be set to public or private, but either way will be accessible each and every time you visit that web site. You can create groups within Diigo that will allow you to collaborate with fellow Diigo users - allowing you to compile and share information. Find other individuals and groups to see what you have in common, or share a bookmark and/or annotation with one easy click. What's great is that you can import bookmarks and favorites that you have already marked. Watch the demo video and learn more. With a Cadillac, you can sometimes feel that you have "too many" features or buttons that you don't know what they do when pushed. The same goes with Diigo. It may feel overwhelming at first, but after some time and learning, you are able to take full advantage of all those features and don't know how you survived without them. - (You can view my Diigo account [|here].)

So, get online - begin bookmarking - and begin socializing!

One thing to keep in mind when registering for any service - use the same username, password and email address when possible. This will make it easier to remember at a later date.