The Good, The Bad

and

THE BOOKMARKLETS

This is actually my second post for "Fill Up Your Toolbox", in which I am taking a look at several of the Browser-Bar "Bookmarklets" that were recommended for this week.  Of the five that were suggested:  Printliminator, Quietube, KeepVid, DestroyTheWeb adn Site Specific, I managed to work with three of them. 

Here is what I found in working with them:

Printliminator (http://css-tricks.com/examples/ThePrintliminator/)

Only print out the parts of a web page that you actually want.

This site / bookmarklet seemed to work fairly well.  It was easy to install - just drag and drop, and didn't require any real sign-up process.  I did notice that when selecting what you don't want to print, it can be a little touchy as to what is selected. Sometimes it will let you select the entire column, sometimes it only picks out small, individual sections.  I also found that it doesn't always send to the printer correctly, if it sends at all.  I actually had better luck saving the print as a PDF file, then printing, than what I did trying a direct print of the page.  This could be my printer, I am not certain, as I have not had the time to try this at another location...  

Overall, this is a neat and potentially very useful tool, as it can eliminate (with a little work) all of the "fluff" that comes with trying to print standard web pages.  Something that I will definitely use.

The next site that I looked at was 

Quitetube (http://quietube.com/)

which filters out all of the advertisements and extraneous distractions from the YouTube website.

I want to make note of that specification:  the YouTube website.

I actually tried this tool on several other video streaming sites (Kissanime, Crunchyroll, Hulu, to name a few) and found that more often than not it actually interfered with the video stream.  It still blanked out the advertisements and external links, but it also blanked out the video.  Again, this might be a setting issue, I am not sure, but when it worked for one site and not several others, I am inclined to believe that it might be site specific.  Either way, it is a good tool for classroom / YouTube use, as it will remove many of the distractions which occur when using that site.

The last site that I had the time to explore didn't do so well.  It was

KeepVid  (https://keepvid.works/)

which is supposed to allow you to download streamed videos from multiple sites, including YouTube, Lynda, Hulu and other s.

When I first searched for this site, I ended up "registering" for something that had nothing to do with KeepVid, even though it was supposed a direct link to obtain the software.  It wasn't.  Not a good way to start off.  I then checked a different link, which told me to insert the URL for the video that I wanted, and it would download it.  I copied and pasted the URL, and was told that it could not find the link, even though I had it up on another monitor at the same time.  The site was a Lynda.Com video, so it might have something to do with the login, but it definitely didn't live up to its advertisement.    Again, this might be a YouTube specific application.  If so, I have limited use for it...

SHORTLINKS, QR and MORE!

Like many other links, freeware and online applications, shortlinks - the ability to shorten / minimize URL addresses to make them more user friendly - can be both a great asset as well as greatly exasperating.  While they can make it much easier to remember a site, or to type in an address, creating the links themselves is not always easy.

Why?

Because the link or name that you have in mind might already have been taken!

Also, because the links that are generated randomly for you by the sites are just that - random - and not that easy to remember.

When creating the links, you need to be flexible enough to change your original thoughts, while keeping the idea of a shortlink simple enough and easy enough to remember.  After all, if your new link is more difficult to remember than what your original link was, what is the point in creating it?

In looking at shortlinks, I investigated the following sites:

www.bit.ly  also known as BITLINKS, first randomly generates a shortlink, then allows you to customize that link.  They also provide a copy / share / edit function for moving the link from one location to another.  It also lists your previous links (at least up to three) that you have made.

To tie into my blog, I utilized the Tinyurl.com application.  The site itself was easy to use, and didn't require a login or a bunch of personal information like other sites (Ow.ly / Hootsuite.com).  The blog link generated by this site is:   

https://tinyurl.com/abaker3

This site also utilized a clipboard function to bring the link to another document (such as this site).

In exploring these sites, I found that the Goo.gl site is now closed.  Did you know that Wikispaces is also closing?  What do you do when your favorite tool (or one described to you) closes?  Check this link out!

http://bit.ly/RIP-site  

Yes, I used Bit.ly to create this link... 

I also investigated www.1link.one, which not only shortens your URL, but provided different link options, and generates a QR code at the same time!  I generated both a shortlink through them, as well as QR codes to come back to this blog...

https://1link.one/techmanb

http://1w.tf/techmanb

I can see using both the shortlink and the QR code reader in the classroom in multiple ways.  First, I have my students create their own blogs and WIX websites detailing work that they have done.  Something like an online portfolio.  Using the shortlink applications or even the QR readers would be a great way to make these sites more easily accessible both to myself for grading, and for future job references if they take their work outside of the school.

Another way that they both can be used is for advertising school clubs or organizations.  Having a shortlink or QR code makes it more likely that people will visit your website for more information, as they don't have to type forever to find the site.  This past year, we created flyers detailing what we do in our TSA (Technology Student Association) program.  Included on the flyer was a QR code that takes people to the National TSA website  (see below)  

Quad-fold flyer for Jersey Shore TSA program, inside

Quad-fold flyer for Jersey Shore TSA program, outside

 QR Code for TSA website: