Do I really need or want a start page? Do you?

I first experimented with start pages because I use a variety of computers and I was hoping there would be a way for me to access my most regular sites just as quickly from another computer as I would from home. Not a realistic hope I guessed, because any such service I would have to still have to sign in to at any computer I cannot customise for myself, and surely it would be quicker just to use the browser’s search box. Still, what is life without experiment?

I tried igoogle: mmf, (yes I love you google, but you don’t need that much space on my start page. I won’t forget you. Yes rooly truly I begin and usually end any search with you… you’re my default – and at computers not my own I even check and switch the engine in the browser’s search box to google). I tried protopage – great but then came ads. I tried delicious (not suited as a startpage). I tried pageflakes – and for some reason the location of ads in pageflakes didn’t bug me the way the top banner ad did in protopage.

Each time I set one up with my quick links I also spent time exploring a few of the other things that the “start page” could do – because I wondered whether such tools might prove useful to my volunteer organisation or workplace or study group or homeschool. However none of my other hats really needed what start pages offer, and while I did use my quick links regularly I would rarely touch a game unless I was procrastinating.

But for the past week pageflakes has refused to load. So now I’m looking back and beyond – do I gather up my frequent links and set up another start page? If I do, will I try iGoogle again, or netvibes, start.io or something else? Don’t bother suggesting zenstart: it doesn’t have the links I need.

Perhaps in the meantime I might just start using the browser’s Bookmarks again.

I am still curious and love to hear how such tools are used by libraries (like when Eddie Byrne wrote how Dublin City Public Libraries use Netvibes) OR volunteer groups, homeschoolers and when I find examples I tag them (although how did I tag those others – did I?)