Clutter Reduction:
Tips to Make your Web Life Easier
Amanda Etches-Johnson
Reference
February 28, 2003
Toolbars
Browser "add-ons"
Require downloading
Many search engines now offer search toolbars that can be downloaded from their websites. They allow you to search the engine without having to go to the website.
Download the toolbars for free.
Examples: Google, Yahoo!, Teoma.
Links
Google Toolbar: http://toolbar.google.com
Yahoo Companion: http://companion.yahoo.com/
Teoma Search Bar: http://sp.ask.com/docs/teoma/toolbar/
UltraBar: http://www.ultrabar.com/
PubMed Toolbar: http://pubmed.mozdev.org/
Amazon Toolbar: http://www.aimingtech.com/amazontoolbar/
TinyURL
Provides a way to manage long URLs.
TinyURL provides a redirect to the URL entered and databases all links for 2 weeks.
Great way to email a long link in a short format.
Not great for links you need to keep for more than 2 weeks.
Use is free.
Link
TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/
NLM DocMorph
A PDF file conversion utility designed and provided by the National Library of Medicine.
Provides a way to convert files into PDF format without the need for Adobe Acrobat or Distiller.
Login at the website to use DocMorph, or download MyMorph for free to convert multiple files at once.
Use is free and requires registration.
Link
NLM DocMorph: http://docmorph.nlm.nih.gov/docmorph/
InfoMinder
Track changes to the websites you use most often.
InfoMinder sends the registered user an email everytime the website being tracked is updated.
Use is free and requires registration.
Link
InfoMinder: http://www.infominder.com/webminder/index.jsp
Ad-aware
"Spyware" - cookies that aggressive advertisers deposit onto your hard drive and registry to track your online activities.
Ad-aware is a piece of downloadable software that searches your computer for "spyware" and removes it.
Use is free and requires registration.
Link
Ad-aware: http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/
MyBookmarks
Online utility that stores your bookmarks remotely.
Especially useful if you use more than one computer.
Provides an option to share your bookmarks with others.
Remark is the downloadable software that allows you to easily import, export and fulltext search your bookmarks.
Use is free and requires registration.
Link
MyBookmarks: http://www.mybookmarks.com/
Bookmarklets
Bit of Javascript code saved in IE's "Links" folder.
Bookmarklets save time!
Search tools: Google, dictionary, thesaurus, Acronym Server, Amazon, The Wayback Machine.
Page tools: last updated date, background color, show links, show images,
Use is free and bookmarklets can be downloaded from many different sites.
Links
Various bookmarklets: http://www.bookmarklets.com/
The Wayback Machine: http://members.iinet.net.au/~iht/articles/wayback_bookmarklet.shtml
TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/#toolbar
Amazon: http://tln.lib.mi.us/~amutch/pro/tools/amazonweb2.htm
Web development bookmarklets: http://www.squarefree.com/bookmarklets/webdevel.html
Translation tools: http://www.joemaller.com/translation_bookmarklets.shtml
Also, performing a search on Google for "bookmarklets" will give you hundreds of results: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=bookmarklets