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applesupergeek

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 20, 2009
879
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Very strange decision, I 've moved all my bookmarks in my safari(s) on my macs to the bookmarks menu for easy access and syncing via mm.

And now I see some moron has put the bookmarks menu as another menu within the ipad interface, instead of having the ipad bookmarks menu to well...be the bookmarks menu and hence work the same as it does on macs ....

Very strange, and very stupid choice... the bookmarks menu on the ipad should be synced and be the same functional unit as in the macs...

Now my synced bookmarks will appear on the menus of safari on my powerbook and macs, but I will have to tap twice for a second pop up on the ipad. And if I don't want that I can copy all my bookmarks to bookmarks nad have them sync with the ipad so one tap to open the menu and there they are, and all the macs will have bookmarkless menus (cause of course you can't keep manually copy pasting to both places).

I seldom say bad things about apple, but dumb, dumb, dumb choice.

Ah, and while I am at it, for f.cks sake bring in some tagging and smart folders to the tabs, other browsers have this for ages, tons of mac apps and iphone apps, and now ipad apps will use tags....why not safari, is it so damn hard to implement?:mad:
 
When you tap the address bar a bookmarks menu bar comes up. No idea how to save to that but it may be via a "Bookmarks Menu" folder as you already stated. (So you could have two ways to access it.)

I'm sure it will all come clear, but could you elaborate on your question?
 
Yeah i really had a hard time understanding what the problem was that was being pointed out.
 
When you tap the address bar a bookmarks menu bar comes up. No idea how to save to that but it may be via a "Bookmarks Menu" folder as you already stated. (So you could have two ways to access it.)

I'm sure it will all come clear, but could you elaborate on your question?

Yeah i really had a hard time understanding what the problem was that was being pointed out.
Probably because you are not well versed in safari bookmarks and syncing them across machines with mobile me. Here it is again:

Look, in safari there's a bookmarks menu, a bookmarks bar, and when you tap the same icon (bookmarks icon) like in the ipad you get all of these in their the bookmarks menu, bookmarks (not in the bookmarks menu), bookmarks bar, rss etc. etc.

I have moved my bookmarks all of them from the bookmarks (clicking on the icon to the menu), because, well, this is one of the least able implementations in safari, because bookmarks have got to be handy to use quickly, ie be in the bar or the menu.

This creates a bit of a mess with the ipad of course, that they 've decided instead of solving to muck it up even more.

My solution would be integrate bookmarks menu with all bookmarks on safari, leave the bar separate of course, I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to have their bookmarks in the menu as well.

Now what the ipad does is kinda replicates the safari bookmarks icon and includes a bookmarks menu (or submenu rather) when you click the bookmarks icon. But in safari proper this (the bookmarks icon) isn't a menu that comes out when you click it, it's whole tab with history, rss, cover flow etc. etc..., in the ipad it's another menu.

So instead of replicating the functionality of safari on the macs in the bookmarks menu, where the most visited bookmarks are obviously in the menu and the less visited ones obviously after you click the bookmarks icon, the ipad actually makes (via mm sync) the less frequently used bookmarks easier accessible by one or two taps, and the actual bookmarks menu of safari less accessible since it requires another tap, (and yet another for folders....)

The bookmarks menu is there on safari on mac to offer easy accessibility for the most visited sites, instead on the ipad, it makes all the most accessible menu bookmarks, the least accessible behind another folder, and the least accessible on safari proper (the ones you find only after you click the bookmarks icon and get a separate tab) the most accessible since they appear as soon as you hit that bookmarks icon on the ipad. It's a mess for anyone keeping their bookmarks synced.

Like I said this stems with imho misguided idea of having separate bookmarks and bookmarks menu items in safari. It's a mess, it causes confusion, it's a stupid and worthless implementation. And of course it stems from safari where a simple task (thank god for glims for solving this) such as adding a folder in the bookmarks menu item, means (shoot the guy who thought of that...) you click add folder on the menu, get transported to the all bookmarks/history tab, name the folder (which is actually created in bookmarks not on the menu) and then click on the left side where bookmarks menu appears and transfer the folder then to the bookmarks menu!!!!:eek:

Like I said, a very bad design choice both in safari and now in the ipad.
 
I'm going to guess that you've not used Mobile Safari on an iPhone or iPod touch? The bookmarks menu hierarchy is the same on those devices, so this arrangement isn't anything new.

Something that might make you feel better: the menu remembers where you left it at after it closes, and starts at that screen when you summon it again. On first launch, it'll load the "Bookmarks" menu. You could then tap "Bookmarks Menu", see the list of bookmarks you have there, and choose the one you want. Later, if you tap the bookmarks icon again, it'll go straight to "Bookmarks Menu", not "Bookmarks". It'll remember where you left it after you quit the app, and even after you reboot the device.

So, long story short, if you keep all your bookmarks in "Bookmarks Menu" (which it sounds like you do), you'll only ever need to drill into that menu once.
 
I'm going to guess that you've not used Mobile Safari on an iPhone or iPod touch? The bookmarks menu hierarchy is the same on those devices, so this arrangement isn't anything new.

Something that might make you feel better: the menu remembers where you left it at after it closes, and starts at that screen when you summon it again. On first launch, it'll load the "Bookmarks" menu. You could then tap "Bookmarks Menu", see the list of bookmarks you have there, and choose the one you want. Later, if you tap the bookmarks icon again, it'll go straight to "Bookmarks Menu", not "Bookmarks". It'll remember where you left it after you quit the app, and even after you reboot the device.

So, long story short, if you keep all your bookmarks in "Bookmarks Menu" (which it sounds like you do), you'll only ever need to drill into that menu once.

Of course I 've used them but you are comparing apple's to oranges. I am never going to browse as much the web on my iphone that I will on my ipad. That's why they have redesigned the interface for ALL the apps for the ipad. So the argument that it's the same as in the iphone doesn't stand, because very few things are the same on the ipad as on the iphone, and most are completely overhauled.

But good points there on, how come you are privy to this information? That is indeed a clever implementation by apple, kudos and more kudos.

But to be fair, they are lagging behind like I said in terms of tags and making a more user friendly bookmarking system, integrated, with smart folders etc. The reason why they had to think of this admittedly smart way for this to function on the ipad is because the mac/iphone implementation was crap to begin with.

I still can't see why all the bookmarks can't be in the menu, or at least be given a preferences choice to have them all in the bookmarks menu and eliminate the fragmentation.

Btw, from one geek to another, where do you keep your bookmarks, do you portion them between the menu and the bookmarks? And if so what purposes does that serve, do you find it helpful to have both these options, do you ever actually bother to click to the separate icon, go to the tab and then get to your bookmarks?
 
I keep all my bookmarks on the bookmark bar.
The iPad has a bookmarks menu, which has your bookmarks in it, and inside of that it has a bookmarks bar which is what shows up at the top of the device.
 
Of course I 've used them but you are comparing apple's to oranges. I am never going to browse as much the web on my iphone that I will on my ipad. That's why they have redesigned the interface for ALL the apps for the ipad. So the argument that it's the same as in the iphone doesn't stand, because very few things are the same on the ipad as on the iphone, and most are completely overhauled.

Ah. Your initial posts made it sound as though you thought this menu arrangement was new to the iPad. My mistake.

My point that it was the same as the iPhone wasn't so much an argument that such a thing were justified as it was just to say that this isn't anything new. It's been around since 2007. Since you were raising the issue now I figured you weren't aware of that. Again, my bad.

But good points there on, how come you are privy to this information? That is indeed a clever implementation by apple, kudos and more kudos.

Remembering where the bookmarks menu was at is also a feature of the iPhone Mobile Safari. They just carried it across to the iPad version. If you watch the keynote closely at 12:49, you can see that Steve opens the bookmarks menu and it opens directly to "Bookmarks Menu" rather than "Bookmarks". This information isn't under wraps or anything, it's just somewhat subtle.

But to be fair, they are lagging behind like I said in terms of tags and making a more user friendly bookmarking system, integrated, with smart folders etc. The reason why they had to think of this admittedly smart way for this to function on the ipad is because the mac/iphone implementation was crap to begin with.

I still can't see why all the bookmarks can't be in the menu, or at least be given a preferences choice to have them all in the bookmarks menu and eliminate the fragmentation.

All legit points of criticism. After having used multiple browsers, I actually prefer Safari for its simplicity and relative minimalism, but that's just me.

The bookmarks menu arrangement hasn't been a problem for me, but that's likely largely because of how I arrange my bookmarks, which conveniently leads us to the last part of your post.

Btw, from one geek to another, where do you keep your bookmarks, do you portion them between the menu and the bookmarks? And if so what purposes does that serve, do you find it helpful to have both these options, do you ever actually bother to click to the separate icon, go to the tab and then get to your bookmarks?

I just stuff everything under the Bookmarks Bar. At the top level of the Bookmarks Bar "folder", I have 6 folders representing different categories, and all my bookmarks (and some subfolders) are placed under them. On the Mac, I just leave the Bookmarks Bar visible on the browser chrome, giving me quick access to all my bookmarks. On the iPhone, I mostly stick around in the "Bookmarks Bar" submenu. And on the iPad, I'm very much looking forward to the inclusion of the Mac-style Bookmarks Bar.
 
Nice catch, noticing this on the keynote! Very nice.

I used to love opera, and I love it now too, but for syncing purposes mostly (which have been addressed somehow by opera with the new release) I went with safari. I love safari's clean interface too. Clean minimal is king for me too.

I like your set up with the bookmarks bar, maybe I ll give it a go too, would fit very well as you said with the ipad with an actual bookmarks bar. To tell you the truth I always considered the bookmarks bar as a quick launch thing, plus the silver/grey background made for some hard reading. Anyway, I am kinda hopeless with my bookmarks and I am trying to get them organised because I know with the ipad, they 'll be indispensable as you can't replicate the ease of use of notebook keyboard to type in addresses anyway you cut it.

But, like I said, boy would I love a tag feature, I 've been recently using this very nice piece of bibliographical software called sente that uses hierarchical tags as well as smart folder, and boy is it a joy to use, I have for the first time managed to organise my journal articles, and I just love the ease of use.

What I would also love is some option, I am digressing here, to have icons/pictures on folders for bookmarks, I've custom set pictures for most all my folders on the desktop and it makes it a breeze to browse, no more name/position hunting, it's instant, no reading. We are all prewired to be very visual, more so than verbal. Imagine how great it would be to just stick nice newspaper icon to the news folder, a music icon to music, etc. etc. etc., in the multitude of bookmark folders would have it would make it so intuitive to browse through.

But then again I 'd like custom picture icons for my playlists too in itunes, no more hunting down reading line after line, stick an icon there on the left for any playlist you want. Albums have covers, why can't some basic functionality like this happen for playlists too. Anyway, big digression off topic, these are more suited to the apple feedback section.

There are of course some third party options for tags but if you can't sync them, then it's forget it for me.
 
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