14 DAY TRIAL // Bookmarks contribute to faster browsing and keeping your favorite web locations handy. Bookmarks are special links to information you need or like. They are different from RSS feeds in that they are pointers to URLs (webpages). Their main purpose is cataloguing and accessing the web pages without having to remember the URL.
Bookmark managers are softwares designed to safe keep user's bookmarks, password for web accounts and some notes about the URL (a short personal description). Usually they are similar to file managers and are equipped with plenty of useful options like checking the availability of the URL, folders to keep similar links, search capabilities etc. And, another "feature" is that they do not come for free. But their usefulness resides in the fact that they can import bookmarks from the web browsers you have installed on your computer and that they can export the links to the web surfing instruments.
Link Locker is not a regular bookmark manager and does not look like one. Its main advantage is that it comes free of charge and there are no bugs to be fixed in this version. The interface is nice and clean and the only drawback here is that it will not be displayed in the taskbar like all the regular applications. Minimizing it will be made in the system tray instead.
The application window is divided into several sections meant to quicken the view of information appended to the URLs. You will be displayed the category you are currently looking into, the website list containing all the links the user introduced and towards the lower end there is the additional information (Login Information and Website Notes).
All the information appended can be safe kept by Link Locker and, due to the password protection provided, you will be able to keep prying eyes from snooping around.
In the right hand upper corner of the application window there is the categories bar. The default option is Quickpick. However, you can always add more categories and name them according to the web links they shelter. Deleting a category is as easy as going into the Categories menu and choosing "Delete Category" option.
After entering the website link you can add the extra information by selecting the link and after appending all there is, clicking the "Update" button. Otherwise, the information will be lost as soon as you select another link in the list. No matter how rudimentary the application may seem to some of you, you can always open a certain link in the default browser by pressing one button ("Go To Site").
Login Information unfortunately has a downside, as the password entered will be visible all the time, with no possibility of hiding it.
The Settings menu allows the user to modify the aspect of the interface. There are no skins available, but you can modify the appearance by choosing a transparency level. It would have been nice to have a slide bar or box where you could enter a transparency value, but in the case of Link Locker the five preset levels will do (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%).
To secure the links no matter what happens to the program the user can make use of the backup and restore functions available. The backup database will be placed in a user defined folder and can be loaded whenever it is necessary. The backup file is practically a ZIP archive containing the database. The password is saved separately in the same folder as the executable.
The Good
Link Locker is free and very easy to use. During the testing of the application no unfortunate events were registered. The interface is clean and provides a clear view of all the options available.
The user can create as many categories as s/he wants. For a better keeping of the link collections the user can back them up to a Zip archive and place it anywhere in the computer.
The Bad
The options are minimum and there is no search function available or one designed to test if the links are still working.
The password in the Login section is visible no matter what.
The Truth
Link Locker defies the typology of the regular bookmark manager and comes free of charge. Of course, it does not look like a regular URL manager and does not include all the features required for one. And yet, it does its job great and with no complaints. Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
