What do you like about gmarks?

[John Marshall]

I'd like to know what people like about GMarks.
The Firefox 2 bookmarking system was so horrible, making GMarks separate made sense to me and allowed me to add certain features not in the Firefox 2 system. It still had the downside of requiring me to rewrite certain FF2 extensions and add them to GMarks.
Now in Firefox 3 the bookmarking system is much improved, supporting both tags and folders. The nice one click bookmarking is also a nice touch. There are still problems with it, from the inconsistency in bookmarks property dialogs to the way they treat tags (I'd like them to be more visible).

Do you like GMarks because it works with Google bookmarks or is there another reason? If it's because it works with Google bookmarks, why do you like that more than other services?

The first reason I ask is I'd like to know what parts of GMarks to fix up first.
The second reason I ask is I'd like to stop maintaining GMarks and add some of its features directly to Firefox 3's bookmarking system, but I'm not going to be able to do that and keep working on GMarks.
I also need to decide whether one of those features will be Google bookmarks syncing with Firefox 3's bookmarks. If I do, depending on reasons why it would be a good idea, it wouldn't be able to support all the things other bookmark sync extensions supports because there is a limited amount of information google bookmarks can store per bookmark. I might just make it sync just a specific folder.

[SBB]

Sync with Google Bookmarks is key, it means my bookmarks are available
to me at any browser anywhere just by logging into Google. (Even if
GMarks isn't installed in that browser.)

With the "awesome bar" in FF3, the Quick Search feature is less
needed, but prior to FF3 being able to hit "Home Home" and start
entering some text was just huge. And as you point out, now that FF3
has tags, a lot of GMarks' functionality is available in FF3.
(Meanwhile I still use GMarks and its "Home Home" feature all the
time.)

So back to sync with Google Bookmarks. I like Google Bookmarks vs.
other services because (a) I already have a Google account; (b) I
trust them to keep their servers running more than I trust other
services; (c) it's helpful for them to know about my bookmarks,
they're something that they can take into account when suggesting
search results (assuming you use Google to search in the FF search
window they show as "bookmark" as it autocompletes, kind of like what
the "awesome bar" would do).

I know with Mozilla "Weave" some of this "sync to the cloud"
functionality is coming for FF3. I still would rather have my
bookmarks on Google's servers, but truthfully there may come a point
where everything that GMarks does is covered either by standard
features in FF3 or by "Weave".

SBB

[Bill Wood]

I like GMarks because it syncs across computers and because it merges folders and tags in a nice way.  The folder structure of GMarks determines how bookmarks are tagged for retrieval by QuickSearch (especially with the recent change to QuickSearch) and makes it easy to categorize new bookmarks.  I would like to see it integrated with FF bookmarks and tags, I could use another service besides Google to sync if necessary but I also like Google for the reasons outlined above.

If you do make it sync a specific folder, could you allow us to pick the folder?

[SBB]

It also occurs to me that one nice thing about having GMarks sit "off
to the side" of FF3 bookmarks is that you don't have to worry about
wiping out local bookmarks. I sit down at someone else's PC and have
access to my bookmarks just by logging into Google. I log out of
Google and leave and all the while their local bookmarks have remained
untouched. I assume FF3 would need to have separate profiles to handle
multiple users cleanly if GMarks was more directly integrated into
FF3. That's a nuisance. With GMarks as it is now I completely ignore
FF3 bookmarks and don't find myself pining away for any of the new FF3
functionality (integration into the "awesome bar" being probably #1 on
that list, but since I have "Home Home" it hardly matters).

I suppose that's an argument for keeping things as they are rather
than going for tighter integration with native FF3 bookmarks -- me
playing devil's advocate against what I just posted the other day
where I basically agreed that it made sense to head in that direction,
as you've said you want to do.

SBB

On Jul 22, 6:30 pm, "John Marshall" <johnm...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Bill Wood]

You could use Foxmarks or Delicious to sync, they have a website for your bookmarks too.

[Bill Wood]

Actually Delicious might not work well as a sync engine

[John Marshall]

Thanks for the info.
Some of the things I hope to make into separate extensions are nested tags in the sidebar, filters & label suggestions, and syncing to google bookmarks. And if I did make it sync a specific folder, of course I'll let you pick that.

And SBB, it seems a lot of what you said last could be solved by using a service (like google bookmarks) which has a website.

On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 11:33 AM, SBB <steve.ba...@gmail.com> wrote:

[SBB]

You're right about just being able to go to the web site when using
someone else's PC. I'm hoping you'll keep the ability to sync all
bookmarks, not just a selected folder, since having all my bookmarks
consistent and consistently available is key for me. I forgot about
nested tags and label suggestions -- all good stuff I've been taking
for granted with GMarks.

On Jul 24, 11:46 pm, "John Marshall" <johnm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks for the info.
> Some of the things I hope to make into separate extensions are nested tags
> in the sidebar, filters & label suggestions, and syncing to google
> bookmarks. And if I did make it sync a specific folder, of course I'll let
> you pick that.
>
> And SBB, it seems a lot of what you said last could be solved by using a
> service (like google bookmarks) which has a website.
>

[he_the_great]

I think the most important part is availability of bookmarks anywhere,
and safe backup. In truth I have little use for bookmarks, and even
reduced use for GMarks. I shall try to explain why this is and then
suggest how GMarks, for FF3, could improve both situations for me.
(feel free to skip the middle :)

In general I don't have much need to bookmark webpages. If I want to
go someplace I like to go, I either can search for it, or it is
already in my browser history (so I've already had the "awesome
bar" :) In general this usually works, sometimes searches don't pan
out too well, but usually they do. iGoogle also provides a lot of
direction to the places I wish to visit.

So what have I been using bookmarks for? I'll start with what google
bookmarks do for me. In general, its been a way for me to say, I like
this and here is some information about it (tags, description). If I
don't want to tag it, it will not be going to Google. As for built in
bookmarks, it is usually just for places I don't go very often so I
don't really remember what to search for or even what they are.

Why do I use Google bookmarks. Mainly because it can be used to boost
my search.

Why did I choose GMarks over others, I started out with Google
Bookmarks Button, which is pretty much the same (at least for what I
used it for, which wasn't much) but GMarks had bookmark to both local
and Google (which seems to be gone for FF3). Really I don't care
because, as I said, I don't bookmark much. Yes I have some 144
bookmarks at Google. Filters are good too.

My suggestion, I will reference StumbleUpon here (mainly it takes you
to a site and you can say you like or don't like it). One of the
things it does with FF3 is when you say you like a page it adds it to
your bookmarks under a StumbleUpon folder under a folder of the page's
category. For me this would be the best way to handle GMarks, place
all the Google bookmarks in a GMarks folder. I really only need one
way syncing, add it to GMarks, get it in FF QED. The only other
integration I can see is having that nifty star open your bookmark in
both places dialog.

On another note about Tags. Whenever they come up, I like to express
my hate for them and the lack in being superior to folders. Please
note I advocate tags in another context,
http://nascent.freeshell.org/programming/TagFS/tagHierarchy.php

[Devo]

The reason I use Gmarks is because I use FirefoxPortable. It is much
better for me to use Google Bookmarks that reside on the Google server
rather than on my flash drive. It reduces the size of
FirefoxPortable, even though very little. If there was a way to
integrate Google Bookmarks into Firefox Bookmarks without saving them
locally, I would definitely use that. Otherwise I would prefer to
have a separate extension.

> note I advocate tags in another context,http://nascent.freeshell.org/programming/TagFS/tagHierarchy.php

[bernstein]

To make it short :$
I love Gmarks because it allows me use google bookmarks as if they
were normal bookmarks and more. it does this by being very stable,
providing tight integration (Crt-D). Cool features i wouldn't want to
give up are : tagging, tag suggest, auto tagging, nested tags (ie
tags&folders) and the very basic yet powerful UI (No clutting but
never used items like "untagged folder" or the separation into
"bookmarks toolbar" and "menu bookmarks", no "recent" and "most used"
folsers. Or just the ability to open bookmarks in new tabs by
default.)

I prefer google bookmarks over other such services, because of the
various reasons others have pointed out.

What feature exactly would have to be dropped when integrating with
places? Am I wrong to think that ff3 now implements all most that
gmarks did (or at least an equivalent (homehome vs awesomebar)) and
others could be implemented as extensions to places.

It always annoyed me that the gmark bookmarks weren't integrated into
the normal firefox bookmarking system, but then ff2 bookmarking system
was horrible. But now i would certainly opt for integration. Make it
more like an automatic sync to google bookmarks and maybe implement
the extra features in a separate extension.

[bernstein]

Ah i completely forgot : To me this is one of the key 4 extensions of
firefox. without them i might use a completely different browser.

Thanks A LOT for all the work - and continued support - you have spent
on gmarks!

[John Marshall]

Thanks for the information, if anyone else has more input I would love to hear it. I've decided I'm going to finish up this next version and then work on a new extension that syncs with Google bookmarks and eventually a couple of others that add some of the other missing features to Firefox. I'm not going to completely be giving up GMarks and I'll still be trying to fix bugs in it, but I probably won't be adding many new features (which isn't anything very new, I haven't added many big features to it lately anyway).

Firefox 3's new system does have a decent amount of the important features GMarks has that the Firefox 2 system did not have, but I would plan on adding any missing features to Firefox 3 if it doesn't exist in another extension.

I actually started on that new syncing with firefox bookmarks extension already and it's come along well (it's more fun than going through the mess that has become GMarks' code, though I realize I still have more to do with that and the quicker the better)
The new extension is coming along well, so far it will load all of your google bookmarks in your Firefox bookmarks with most labels being treated as tags, but with nested labels with the main label of 'menu' being inserted into the Bookmarks Menu. I should add a similar one for the toolbar. It has also the beginings of updating when a new bookmark is added or when a bookmark is moved/tagged. There's still a lot more work to be done to make it very usable though.

Btw, the new sync extension is called Gynx unless someone wants to convince me to name it something better.

[SBB]

Looking forward to whatever you do with GMarks or its successor.
Though I'm not sure I'd pick "Gynx" as a name, maybe too much like
"jinx", right? ;-)

[John Marshall]

Then give me a better idea ;)

[he_the_great]

I kinda thought that was the idea. Google Sync, Gynx.

[aufly]

Firstly, since I'm a new member to the group allow me to express my
gratitude and applaud John Marshall for this brilliant extension.
This is in the top 3 addons I install with FF when the occasion
arises. It is so necessary and natural that I'd switch browsers just
to get this functionality. I suppose as many have stated before me and
the reason this project was initiated is to put the bookmarks where
they ought to be. The most important features in my opinion are:
- Integrated "add bookmark"
- Integrated "add all to bookmarks" (equally if not more important)

Both seem not be working quite so well with FF3 which is quite painful
for a fan such as myself.
The latter featre is probably the best session manager one could wish
for. I use a sessions tag and name my sessions thus I can always go
back to my former surf-spaces.

The auto complete and nested tags are also great features.

Thank you very much,
I look forward to smoother experience in FF3

Avital

[Dennis]

Hello John

Firstly thank you for your work on GMarks. I've used a variety of
bookmarking systems over the years and found yours to be the best so
far. There are lots of good things about it but the two standout
features for me are having a reliable server-based repository and
nested tags. I've used 3 or 4 systems that synchronize bookmarks, and
although good sooner or later get it wrong, and hey presto two copies
of your bookmarks. They always struggle in particular with deletions.
So having the server repository is fantastic. I don't particularly
care if it is Google bookmarks or not but Google does have the
advantage that it's free, reliable and accessible from browsers
without the extension. The nesting feature is the one I've always
wanted, so it was a real pleasure to discover that at last someone has
done it. Flat tags are great but quite limiting when one has a lot of
bookmarks. Being able to assign a bookmark to multiple hierarchies is
just so good.

Contributing to Firefox seems like a great idea, certainly if Firefox
could do natively what GMarks can do it would be both more convenient
and a valuable enhancement to the browser - point of distinction in
fact - however if that doesn't work out, please continue!

Outside of the two main features I am easy to please, but if you are
looking for suggestions then things that assist with managing
bookmarks would be appreciated. Once you get above a certain number
management becomes important. Ideas that spring to mind are:

- Validation - troll through bookmarks and test they still work. Auto-
tag broken ones with "Broken link" for later checking
- Check for duplicates - similarly auto-tag with "Duplicate"
- Favicon update - process to troll through and look for favicons when
not already present
- An option for sorting by usage count - would be handy for rapid
access and highlighting old ones that need checking

Processes for maintaining bookmarks like this are I think green fields
for development, i.e. I don't think anyone else has done it yet.

Cheers
Dennis

[Chris (Jesdisciple)]

I originally installed this because I too use PortableFirefox, but
then I installed it on my computer as well because I want to access
the pages I marked while portable. Syncing is really the only feature
I use. (_*Thank you*_ for moving the search feature from S S to Home
Home - that was getting on my nerves!)

As for improvements, I dislike how a Bookmarks structure like
> [Example] - http://www.example.com/
> [Example > Foo] - http://www.example.com/foo/
> [Example > Bar] - http://www.example.com/bar/
becomes a GMarks structure like
> Example > http://www.example.com/
> Example > Foo > http://www.example.com/foo/
> . . . . . . . . . . Bar > http://www.example.com/bar/
rather than
> Example > http://www.example.com/
> . . . . . . . . . . Foo > http://www.example.com/foo/
> . . . . . . . . . . Bar > http://www.example.com/bar/
(The huge ellipsis indicates that the previous submenu is being
extended.)

[SeaDevil]

well, i just solved a damn problem with gmarks !!  No matter what version of Firefox i used, I kept getting a popup ,when I started FF, that google search was requestiing my

ID & PASSWORD.....this is caused by the gmarks add-on.   took me awhile to re-install my extensions one by one, until I  installed gmarks and the popup started again.

I removed gmarks add-on and the problem stopped.

I hope this can be fixed or please explain what i'm doing wrong...cuz i liked the add-on.

[Art Thompson]

Knowing that I'm going to lose access to easy Google bookmarks when they kill iGoogle, this was an obvious choice. I think it's very intuitive and works exactly the way I would want it to. One exception, it won't log in automatically even though that option is checked.
Would like to donate, did not see that option.

FF16.02

Thanks!

[Coffee_fan]

Well, your problem clued me into fixing mine. It so happens that GMarks seems to not work in FF18/19/20, however, I suspect it is not a problem with GMarks or FF, but rather that Google may have changed their sign-in protocol. As such, GMarks is no longer able to sign-in or refresh, and seem to be completely broken. However, if you sign-in on your browser to google, then GMarks piggybacks on the established session and fetches your Google bookmarks correctly.

[David C.]

Yes.  That is the issue.  Logging in via the browser works until the cookie expires.  Then you have to log-in again and refresh GMarks.

If you have cookies blocked, this obviously will not work for you.

-- David

[kriirk]

I use only sidebar toggle on/off button, and handle the rest by drag-drop and right-clicking.. and I find it amazing. I use it for tracking all my internet activities (mainly by adding details to the bookmark names).

Having all that one click away, on all my PCs/locations always (remember to refresh), was a quantum leap in my efficiency.