Protopage - you must see this!

If you haven't seen a Protopage yet, you'd better get along to http://www.protopage.com/computers.start right now and have a look! Read on for the password - you'll need it. See also this protopage (no password required).

There has been talk of web based applications for some years, and many exist, but Protopage is one of the slickest things I've seen to date. While sites like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! have all had personalised start pages available for some time, none of these approaches the simplicity, style and hackability of ProtoPage. A similar product is Netvibes, which is more oriented to tracking RSS feeds.

Protopage is intended as a very simple, free online personal start page - ideal for keeping your favourite links (and other bits and pieces) either for yourself - especially useful if you find you have trouble synchronising bookmarks between multiple web browsers, or to share with others; family, friends and within organisations. You can have all your favorite bookmarks available to you when travelling.

Adding bookmarks is easy, and made even simpler with the addition of a bookmarklet that adds a button to your browser toolbar.

Link panels are limited as to how they can be modified, but the notes panels accept a range of HTML and scripts so there is a lot that can be done with them; they can display an RSS feed, images, weather, links, notes and so on.

The technology behind Protopages is AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) and is becoming quite widespread. The same techniques are used to build online calendars, spreadsheets, wordprocessors and project management applications. Google it. In fact, AJAX methodology is used by Google Maps.

There is a short list of online applications at redferret.

I've set up a very basic page for NZPCA members to add to, it would be very much appreciated if you would take the time to add a couple of your favorite links, or even just leave a note. This page is not visible to the public - you have to be logged in to see it, and once you are, you are able to makes changes which will be saved automatically. Please only add bookmarks that will be of interest or suitable for NZPCA members; if you have other bookmarks that you wish to add, create your own Protopage and enter a link to that. Don't delete or change bookmarks added by others.

Leave a note or drop me a line and let me know what you think.

The password is in the URL, between the last "/" and the last "."

Enjoy.