Saving Your Internet Browser Bookmarks

Anyone that knows me is aware of how I feel about backing up your content. Even if you have a backup solution where you work, I feel that the user should know how AND put into practice the task of backing up your important content. I have already posted a blog about backing up your data, so this blog is going to be a little different and about a specific content area.

Your Internet bookmarks. You use them everyday, depend on them and have acquired a lot of them during your normal work activity. But, what would happen if your bookmarks suddenly disappeared? 

Although most browsers have a sync function save your bookmarks to your online account, there is nothing like have a real backup.

We will look at the three most popular browsers and what you have to do to backup your bookmarks.

Google Chrome 
Google Chrome is undoubtedly the easiest browser to use. It has become my favorite browser. Plus, it easily integrates the Google Apps into the UI. So, to backup your bookmarks in Google Chrome, follow these steps:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. In the upper-right portion of your window, you will see the "Custom and Control" icon. Click on this icon.
3. A dropdown menu will appear. Cursor down to "Bookmarks", then select "Bookmark Manager".
   
4. The "Bookmark Manager" tab should open. It will look like this: 
   
5. In this tab, you should click on "Organize" and then click on "Export bookmarks to an HTML file". 
   
6. At this point the "Save As" window will pop up prompting you to check the name and location that the HTML file will be saved to. By default, the file will be given a name. The default name will be "bookmarks_07_24_2014.html". I suggest you leave the default name. I would create a folder in your "My Documents" folder called "chrome_bookmarks" and save the file inside that folder.
   
7. Once you click on the "Save" button, your work is done. Your bookmarks are saved on your computer. 

Of course, once the file is saved to your computer, you can copy them to a thumb drive, DropBox, Google Drive or to a network share. Either way, you now have a current backup of your Google Chrome bookmarks. 

Now if you ever need to restore your bookmarks, you simply follow this procedure except you select "Import bookmarks from HTML file". You will be prompted for a file. You select your saved file and it will be uploaded into Google Chrome. That's all there is to it!

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox is a great browser. It is my second favorite, and I use it often. The only caveat with Firefox (as well as other browsers) is that, by default, the Menu bar doesn't show up. In order to see the menu bar, you have to right-click above the tabs and select "Menu Bar". After doing this, the menu bar will appear above the tabs.

 

Follow these steps to save your bookmarks in Firefox:

1. Click on the "Bookmarks" menu option on the Menu bar.
2. Next, select and click "Show All Bookmarks". 
   
3. The Bookmarks/Libraries window will pop up (This is a separate window). 
   
4. At this point, you have probably got the next steps figured out. Especially after going through the Google Chrome steps.
5. You simply click on the Import and Backup menu choice and select "Export Bookmarks to HTML". 
6. Here is a point where it is slightly different from Chrome. Firefox will simply name the file "bookmarks.html" by default. I suggest renaming the file "ff_bookmarks-11-25-2014.html"(change the date to the actual date). I would also suggest you create a "ff_bookmarks" folder inside your "My Documents" folder just so you can easily find them in case you need them.
7. When the save as window comes up, simply give the file a proper name and click on the "Save" button.

The Firefox routine is very similar to Google Chrome. A few things I want to point out with Firefox. You have several additional options when saving bookmarks. The first two options are Backup and Restore. Those create backup copies of your settings. It is fine to create this backup (it save the data to a json file). But I would recommend you also backup your bookmarks to a regular HTML file. HTML can be edited with a plain text editor, and it can be opened and viewed with any web browser. You also have the option to import bookmarks from another browser. This is a good option if you have bookmarks in another browser and want them in Firefox. A word of caution, before you import bookmarks like this, make a backup of your current ones.

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is my least favorite browser. I know that is not relevant to this blog, I just take every opportunity to point that out. Sometimes you have to use IE and I understand.  

Actually I am not going into a lot of detail for IE. It is basically the same as the other two browsers. I will point out the general steps.

1. As with Firefox, you have to turn on the Menu bar in Internet Explorer. You simply right-click above the tabs and select the Menu Bar option.
2. Once you have a menu, click on "File" in the menu bar. Near the bottom of the File Menu, you will see the "Import and Export" menu option. 
3. When you click on the "Import and export" menu option, a "Import/Export Settings" window will pop up. This is an interactive window that will guide you through the process.
4. You will select the function you want (Export to a file) and then hit the next button. You also have an option to export your cookies and feeds. We will just focus on bookmarks.
5. In the next window, select the "Favorites" check box and click next.
6. In the next window, you can select specific folder or all of your bookmarks. We will select all of our bookmarks. Make sure the "Favorites" folder is selected and click Export.
7. By default, IE will save your bookmarks to: C:\Users\yourusername\Documents\bookmark.htm (which is your "My Documents" folder). The first time you do this you might not have an option on where to save the file and what to name it. Subsequent times will allow you to change the location and name of the file. 

Saving your bookmarks in Internet Explorer is not difficult. It does have more steps and doesn't give you as many options as I would like but it does get the job done.

OK, now you have the information you need to make a backup of your bookmarks. Yeah, I know I didn't use as many pics for Firefox as I did with Chrome. And I didn't use any for Internet Explorer. But really folks, it is soooooooo easy you really don't need images. I tried to go through each step and make it simple. 

Now that we have gone over all three browsers, you have no excuse. Get in the habit of saving your bookmarks at least every month! So, what are you waiting for, go backup your bookmarks!

Plan B

Call me OCD, control freak or over analytical. I prefer to call it being prepared! Covering your bases. Ready for anything. Hence this post....Plan B. Do you have a plan B? I deal with a lot of people in many different circumstances that literally fly by the seat of their pants! Plan B? They barely have a Plan A!

What made me write this blog? It was a number of things actually. As you go through life, you observe people and their actions. Or, at least, I do. One circumstance is the many times I see people preparing to speak to a group. Whether it is a class, a presentation or a meeting, it seems like they are just not ready. It appears that they really didn't prepare for the task at hand. What initially is a relatively straightforward task has turned into a major issue with several problems. Ultimately their failure to properly prepare becomes someone else's problem. You would think that people that are going to be the center of attention would be prepared, have a "Plan B" and be able to deal with just about any roadblock in their way. Especially in education! These people are supposed to be in control of the activities and situations of the day, or at least the appointed time period allotted. All eyes are on them. Their audience has expectations of the person up front and in the spotlight.

I'll be the first to admit, I have mellowed out a considerable amount in the past several years. I realize we all slip up and forget sometimes AND things do go wrong. With that being said, you should make every attempt to think ahead, prepare for the worse possible scenario, and be ready for anything. When my family was involved in Cross Country racing, my wife and I managed the team. It was a lot of responsibility. It was unacceptable to prepare for a race, travel 6 to 8 hours, pay for all the expenses, only to to arrive on race day and have some $100.00 part, or the wrong torque settings on a steering stabilizer sideline you. We simply could not let that happen. Too much money was involved, too many sponsors to answer to and too many people were depending on us to get it right first time - every time! We literally could not afford to make a mistake or not be totally prepared. The buck stopped with us.

So, what are the results of failing to plan and have a "Plan B"? Many people are prepared to teach a subject or speak to a group. However, then their Plan A hits a bump, they lose focus and start sweating heavily. They studder and stammer and start looking around for someone to wave a magic wand and make everything better. If one piece of their puzzle doesn't fit right, they stop dead cold! They don't know what to do, and everything falls apart. That might be a slight exaggeration but I've seen many people lose focus and have a hard time getting back on track when something goes wrong. On the other hand, I know several Instructors/teachers/presenters that hardly miss a beat when things don't go as planned. Why? They know their subject matter like the back of their hands and they always have a Plan B. It is easily implemented and nothing is lost in the transition.

OK, I know what your are thinking, "we get it, some people are bad at planning". So what's my point? My point is, everyone needs a "Plan B". You should be prepared in the event that Plan A blows up, you can (even with slight modifications) continue on with very little pain. Very little content should be lost, and your participants don't become unruly. The point of this blog is to get you started on the process of planning for Plan B (and even Plan C) if you do presentations, public speaking or teaching of any kind. Specifically, I am going to discuss the equipment and the content medium that you will need for your presentation, lecture, meeting or teaching segment.

You would think that if you are presenting somewhere, they would at least have a computer and a projector. That will not always be the case. Even if they do have the minimum equipment, will it be set up properly? What's to say it might quit working just before your presentation? I would rather be prepared for the worst case scenario and not have to use my gear than to show up and be woefully unprepared. So, let's look at a list of what you might need:

•  Computer (laptop).
• Small projector.
• Small portable speakers.
• Extension cords, power adapter and any other associated cables.
• Small portable PA system (depending on the size of the venue).

The computer and projector should have their own dedicated bag with all needed cables and power adapter in their associated bag. The speakers, extension cord and power adapter should be in a separate utility bag or backpack. I would also include an Ethernet cable, just in case.If you use a Mac/Apple computer, you should make sure that you have a video adapter for the projector cable. This is the bare minimum hardware I would travel with. If you do a lot of presenting, and you really need Ethernet access, you should probably invest in a wireless USB modem (IE: Verizon Wireless USB760). Or have the ability to turn your smart phone into a wireless hotspot. The PA (or public address) system is really a stretch. If you are speaking at a location big enough to need one, they should have a house system to use. However, you can find small, affordable units now that are easy to setup and easy to use. 

Before going out on a speaking engagement, you should inventory your equipment to make sure you have everything you need. It is also VERY IMPORTANT to inventory your equipment and carefully look over your work are before leaving. It is an irritating task to try to find a missing power adapter for that portable projector or laptop computer you depend on. Plus, it will be an added expense every time you lose a piece of equipment.

With the above list of equipment, you are guaranteed to be prepared for a class or speaking engagement. It might not be optimal (depending on the venue) but it will get you through and make your job a lot easier.

Now, let's turn our attention to the content. Almost everyone uses some type of presentation as a tool to share their content. The most popular presentation software being Microsoft PowerPoint. PowerPoint is a great tool to use to share your content. you need to be aware that PowerPoint is not the only presentation software available. Google has a presentation program in the Google Apps. All of the open source productivity software suites (OpenOffice, LibreOffice) have a presentation program that rivals PowerPoint. In fact, they are all PowerPoint compatible.

Most people think that if they have the hardware requirements covered, and they have a powerpoint presentation, they are all set. Hold on just a minute...... Let's look at some of the potential problems, issues and concerns about your content and how to avoid them. This is another area when a Plan B (and even a Plan C) will make you look like a hero in case something goes wrong.

Let's assume that you have the hardware all covered and it is good to go. You also have a powerpoint presentation on a USB thumb drive. You are set, right? What will you do when you arrive at the venue, get ready to present, plug the thumb drive in and.................IT DOESN'T WORK??????? Does this really happen? Believe in the time I have been in technology, I have actually seen people cry when their USB thumb drives fail! Yes, they fail all the time. USB thumb drives have a life cycle, and it is not a huge one. The life expectancy of a USB connector is between 1200 and 1500 cycles! So, if you are going to have your presentation on a USB thumb drive, you better have a backup. Here is what I recommend you have with you as far as a presentation is concerned:

• Your presentation on a USB thumb drive.
• Your presentation on a CD disc.
• Your presentation on an external USB Hard Drive (different from a USB thumb drive).
• Your presentation (with notes) printed out on hard copy.

In addition to the above, you need your powerpoint presentation converted to:

• A PDF file.
• A JPG or PNG (graphic) file.
• An RTF file.
• A WMV (video file).
• An HTML (web) file.*

A copy of each converted presentation should be on each medium that you carry with you (see above list)! I'm sure you are wondering why you would want so many different copies of a presentation in so many different file formats. OPTIONS! What if you get to the venue where you are to present and their computer doesn't have PowerPoint software on their computer? You are thinking, "No problem, I have my computer. It has PowerPoint". But what if your computer decides to die at this most inopportune moment? No problem! If you have the five or six different file type listed above, you can still show your content. It might not have all the bells and whistles as PowerPoint, but it will get the job done and you will come out smelling like a rose! 

• As a PDF, you can display it in Adobe Reader.
• As a JPG or PNG, you can display it in any graphic viewer.
• As an RTF, you can display it in any word/text processor (Word, Wordpad etc...).
• As a WMV, you can display it in most video player (even a portable video player).
• As an HTML file, you can display it in a Web Browser. (PowerPoint does not allow saving as HTML, however other presentation software has that option).

If all else fails, you still have your hard copy of your presentation. If you are a good speaker and can hold people's attention, you will do just fine with the hard copy. If not, you might want to re-consider your line of work (just kidding).

I know this planning and preparing for a Plan B sounds like a lot of work, but once you get a solid plan down and have a complete inventory of tools needed to do the job, you will find that it is actually easier. A side benefit is, when you are prepared for the job, you will find yourself having a lot more fun and the stress level should go down a lot!