Automatic desktop shortcuts for websites.

April 3, 2001 7:59 AM

Automatic desktop shortcuts for websites. These guys claim to have "special" software that does this, but it looks like some sort of standard technology. Anyone know the details?
posted by owillis (22 comments total)

Sounds just like this.
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:11 AM on April 3, 2001

Dumbest Idea Ever.
Winner, "Wheel Reinvention Award 2001"
posted by hijinx at 8:13 AM on April 3, 2001

Yeah, but it puts them on the desktop...
posted by owillis at 8:45 AM on April 3, 2001

and the big players are doing it.
posted by mblandi at 8:47 AM on April 3, 2001

Bookmarks are just little text files with a .url extension. You can put them anywhere you like.

(No, not there! Get your mind out of the gutter.)



(...What?)
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:47 AM on April 3, 2001

I laughed when I thought it was a joke.
I sighed when I saw that they are serious.
I laughed when I saw their price list.
I sighed when I saw that they had paying customers...
posted by Tubes at 8:54 AM on April 3, 2001

You know, I hate them not because they've taken something that it's (easily) possible to do for free and made a business out of it, but because I didn't think of it first.
posted by zempf at 8:57 AM on April 3, 2001

This is an April Fools joke, right?


... right?
posted by Maxor at 8:57 AM on April 3, 2001

i can't decide which is the more appropriate cheesy quote: should it be "there's a sucker born every minute" or "if you build it, they will come?"
posted by lia at 9:00 AM on April 3, 2001

Desktop...hmmm... "the other, other white meat."
posted by Bracey02 at 9:23 AM on April 3, 2001

There is something nontrivial about it, though: The security implications. While it's easy for an end-user to create a shortcut, it's much harder for a web site to do it. They get around this by using an ActiveX control. Once a user approves the installation of an ActiveX control, the control has free run of your system. Are users really that willing to sign away security just to create a shortcut on your Start Menu?

Besides, their sample icons are hideous.
posted by raymondc at 9:33 AM on April 3, 2001

Just what i need, something else to clutter up my desktop. I'm always stunned to see people that have bloody shortcuts to every program in the known universe on their desktops, now I'll get to see every website they've ever visited as well...come to think of it that could be interesting.
posted by DiplomaticImmunity at 9:48 AM on April 3, 2001

Are users really that willing to sign away security just to create a shortcut on your Start Menu?

I would imagine that at least 90% of users do not even understand browser security issues enough to care about them.
posted by kindall at 12:11 PM on April 3, 2001

Query: would it be unethical to make a free version of this and give it to all their customers, with the intention of putting them out of business?

Because I'm frequently tempted to do things like that.
posted by sonofsamiam at 12:17 PM on April 3, 2001

I decided to write to Paul, the fellow in charge of the company, and ask him how this was any different from just dragging shortcuts here and there. His reply:

See You Again Shortcut(tm) allows your users -- most of whom will not be technically savvy -- to easily place your icon on their Desktop and Start Menu in a one click method. In addition you can program dynamic URLs into the shortcuts as well as easily track the number of shortcuts created and number of visits back to your site as a result of the shortcuts.

Obviously, it's all about the clickthroughs....
posted by hijinx at 12:20 PM on April 3, 2001

Just closing the tag...carry on.
posted by jpoulos at 1:23 PM on April 3, 2001

Well that didn't work...
posted by jpoulos at 1:25 PM on April 3, 2001

(psst! what tag didn't close? the source looks good)
posted by hijinx at 1:27 PM on April 3, 2001

(Wow, that is some messed-up source.)
posted by rodii at 9:20 PM on April 3, 2001

I second what CrayDrygu said, plus the desktop is the easiest place to get to something. WindowsKey-M or WindowsKey-D and you have immediate access to it...

I'm as much of a packrat with files, shortcuts and URLs as I am with pictures, junk and CDs. And you know, no one has come up with a bookmarking system that is to my liking...
posted by fooljay at 3:16 PM on April 4, 2001

fooljay, have you tried thebrain.com's software? It links all kinds of files with ideas in a non-hierarchical fashion. only works on Win platforms though...
posted by gen at 7:13 AM on April 5, 2001

No, gen, I haven't tried it but have been fascinated with the concept for a very long time.
posted by fooljay at 9:16 PM on April 5, 2001