43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

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”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

URLinfo's handy site tools bookmarklet

URLinfo beta || Fagan Finder

Fast access to site and domain infoI’ve linked to Fagan Finder’s URLinfo Bookmarklet before (via del.icio.us), but I can’t resist sharing it again here.

Like most cool stuff, it’s easier to use than to explain, but in a nutshell, when visiting a site, you click the bookmarklet and it gives you instant access to a bunch of popular, very useful web-based tools. Virtually any kind of information you might want about a site or a domain is presented in a well-structured, easy-to-navigate frameset using some smart javascript. Some of the highlights include:

  • WHOIS and domain-based info from a variety of sources
  • Inbound link information (a/k/a ego surfing) using (Technorati | Bloglines | Daypop | more…)
  • “Search this site” functionality using (Google | Yahoo! | Teoma | more…)
  • Blog and XML feed information (a/k/a more ego surfing) using (Bloglines | BlogStreet | Syndic8 | more…)
  • Language translation
  • Page change tracking
  • Developer tools like CSS and accessibility validators
  • A great “Miscellaneous” tab that includes BugMeNot reg info, Google page count, Alexa traffic stats, as well as Flash and PDF conversion widgets.

As an added bonus, when you build your own bookmarklet, you can choose which tab of information should pop up by default (a/k/a automated ego surfing). (I’ve had a little trouble getting this one piece to work in Safari; guessing it’s a beta booger.)

In the couple weeks I’ve used this, I’ve found it indispensible, and I suspect you will too.

TOPICS: Links, Tips, Tools

About Merlin

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Bio

Merlin Mann is an independent writer, speaker, and broadcaster. He’s best known for being the guy who created the website you’re reading right now. He lives in San Francisco, does lots of public speaking, and helps make cool things like You Look Nice Today, Back to Work, and Kung Fu Grippe. Also? He’s writing this book, he lives with this face, he suffers from this hair, he answers these questions, and he’s had this life. So far.

Merlin’s favorite thing he’s written in the past few years is an essay entitled, “Cranking.”

 
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Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

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This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »