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TIPS to search 1
billion Web pages fast!
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Anita Bora
A simple tool that extends the search and surf capabilities of your browser, a bookmarklet is a combination of a bookmark and Javascript. It resides in your Bookmark/ Favourites menu or on a Web page and can speed up browsing. Just like a macro-style script in Microsoft Office, a bookmarklet can be used for power searching, navigation and Web design.
How do they work?
Essentially bookmarklets are created with simple scripts and can be implemented as ordinary bookmarks. Simply click on the link to use it immediately or put it in your Add Bookmark (in Netscape) or Add to Favourites (in Internet Explorer) menu by right clicking on the link and use it at your convenience.
This tool is compatible with both Netscape and Internet Explorer, provided Javascript is enabled.
Some characteristics of bookmarklets:
- They work across all platforms (Windows, Mac, UNIX)
- Simple to write
- Can be executed on any page and allow you to:
- Modify how you view a page
- Extract data about a page
- Search quickly
- Navigate in new ways
To understand how a simple bookmarklet works, click on the following links. The first one will show the date and time according to the settings on your machine. The second one will take you to a random link on this Web page:
Date and Time
Go To Random Link
To add these links, click, drag and drop them onto your toolbar or add to your Bookmark or Favourites menu in your browser window.
What are the different types of bookmarklets?
There are bookmarklets to serve different purposes.
If you constantly need to refer to a dictionary while working, this one from dictionary.com should prove useful.
By adding it to your toolbar, you can search for any word with the help of dictionary.com even while you are browsing another site, and get instant access.
This page maintained by Steve Kangas, the innovator of bookmarklets shows the different types.
A bookmarklet that helps you change the colour of the page you're viewing is included under 'page look' bookmarklets. To find out when a page was last updated or a list of all links on the page, you can use 'page data' bookmarklets. Other categories include navigation, search, calculators, design, windows and miscellaneous.
Squarefree has bookmarklets for links, forms, text and data, Web development, validation, etc. Search engine bookmarklets are also helpful, as you don't need to open the site in your browser. Get details on this page.
Innovative uses of bookmarklets
Resourceful developers have come up with new ways of using bookmarklets.
A creative example is this Blogdex Backlinks bookmarklet. It's particularly useful when you're reading a blog and come across a link to another site. To find other bloggers who have linked to that same site, all you do is click on the Blogdex bookmarklet.
Blogger.com, an application that allows people to publish their own blogs offers this bookmarklet for convenience. By dropping this in the browser window, one can publish to one's blog without loading the home page.
Then there are some bookmarklets just for fun. This one can test how drunk you are. If you can still read this page after clicking on the link, you probably need another beer!
Are they safe?
According to Steve Kangas, bookmarklets are safer than other traditional software because they're simple and include just a few lines of code, thus limiting the extent of damage by a malicious programmer.
Also, since they do not require installation, security risks are avoided and the worst thing that could go wrong is a Javascript error on your browser.
However, when you drag and drop a bookmarklet in IE 5, you will get a message saying 'this may not be safe' asking if you want to continue. Explaining this Kangas says that the danger level is "below that of mischief and nuisance". If you are unsure, it's advised that you do not trigger bookmarklets in pages where you have entered sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers and personal data.
In short, these bits of code can do little damage, but in case of longer bookmarklets, which might appear soon, take precautions and check their source before you bookmark them.
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