Recommendations

There are a few recommendations for the use of the UMarks format.

Store centrally

A key aim of the development of UMarks was the desire to remove bookmarks from browsers and other applications. That is, to realize the notion that a collection of links is something that belongs to a user. It is not part of the software itself.

To this end we recommend that a UMarks file be stored centrally on the user’s computer so it can be accessed by software other than browsers. The exact location is largely irrelevant but to embrace the spirit of openness that guides UMarks’ development it is suggested that it should be somewhere central, and part of the user’s normal data. For instance, in a Unix-style system it would reside somewhere in their Home directory e.g. ~/Bookmarks.

Alternative ‘data’ locations, such as application support directories or system directories, are less desirable. The aim here is that even for non-technical users it should be easy to find, easy to point other software to, and automatically backed up when they back up their normal files.

File extension

The recommendation is that the file itself uses the .umk file extension. In addition it probably makes sense to name it after the user e.g. j.smith.umk.

Icon

UMarks has its own icon; the same icon that’s used in the logo. EPS and PNG versions are available from the Graphics page. Feel free to make use of them to create your own icons. Although it is requested that you maintain and use the icons as is (i.e. don’t tinker with the colours or the ‘star’ feature etc).