What happens when browser bookmarks stop being useful? How do you keep the Internet organized?
For years, I used browser bookmarks to collect sites I wanted to keep track of. Over time, the lists got longer, more overwhelming, and less helpful. Lately, I’ve found that I hardly ever go to a browser bookmark— it often doesn’t even occur to me to check there— and I seem to stumble around the web just fine, finding what I need. Also, there are so many other places I “mark” things of interest: Pictures I love are kept on Pinterest, I follow the blogs I love on Bloglovin’ or subscribe them to Feedly, and articles I want to read later get dropped into Pocket.
That said, when I’m researching an article or pitching a segment, it would be great to have a comprehensive list of the sites I’ve found great things on in the past that felt current, manageable and up-to-date. It would be great if the browser developers paid attention to this neglected part of the experience too, but with things like address auto-complete, maybe they figure people don’t need more help in returning to websites they’ve visited?
I’m toying with the idea of getting organized in a new environment, like Stache, since it seems more visual and Pinterest-like (I often forget a web address, but I never forget a logo). I also think that, like your contacts, these lists need to be weeded and edited semi-regularly in order to stay relevant. Otherwise, my new list is just bound to become bloated and unhelpful again. Sigh.
[highlight] What works for you when it comes to bookmarks? [/highlight] Do you have a system you find orderly and organized? Let’s figure it out in the comments.
