# What do you use as a browser home page? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162 "2012-07-04T00:50:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/21 "2012-07-04T03:11:10Z")
My browser is set to blank/empty as first (home) page. If I wanna go somewhere I’ll bloody well select it from the Bookmarks menu. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/22 "2012-07-04T03:11:24Z")
Google ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/23 "2012-07-04T04:08:16Z")
I write my own in HTML. It has the sites I visit most often, in the order I wish, and I can change it anytime I want with a word processor without having to figure out the arcane procedure. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/24 "2012-07-04T04:10:16Z")
Why write your own HTML file when you can just save the pages in bookmarks? ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/25 "2012-07-04T04:16:53Z")
I used to write my own but for the past seven or so years I’ve used iGoogle. I saved my most visited links in one of their apps. Bit bummed they’re discontinuing it, but I probably don’t need it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/26 "2012-07-04T05:19:25Z")
Blank Google Chrome with thumbnails of my recently visited sites. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/27 "2012-07-04T05:22:58Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Why write your own HTML file when you can just save the pages in bookmarks? Because bookmarks don’t transfer between computers, not to mention they don’t automatically sync between different browsers on different computers, and bookmarks have to be organized the way the bookmark programmers say, which means next year’s version will be different. Basic HTML hasn’t changed for decades and it’s second nature to me. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/28 "2012-07-04T05:40:56Z")
about:blank – home pages piss me off. At work, there’s an intranet home page with a bunch of newsy crap, and links to our databases and server applications, so I have to use that (with IE 2003, f’r god’s sake). When I’m actually using the internet at work, I use Firefox with Google as the home page. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/29 "2012-07-04T07:58:57Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Because bookmarks don’t transfer between computers, Nor would your personal site of bookmarks. Come to my house and use my computer and you’re still going to have to navigate to your site before you can start navigating to all your saved sites. > [@](#): > > not to mention they don’t automatically sync between different browsers on different computers, and bookmarks have to be organized the way the bookmark programmers say, In Firefox you can sort your bookmarks however you like by creating new folders. You probably can in Chrome too but I’m too lazy and sleepy right now to open Chrome. > [@](#): > > which means next year’s version will be different. You mean next week’s version. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![spanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@spanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spanna)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/30 "2012-07-04T08:45:51Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > I’ve used a few different ones in my years on the net. [iGoogle is my current one,](http://support.google.com/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2664197) and now they’ll be shutting down. > > I like customizing my home page with weather, news feeds, etc… What have you used, both past and current? What would make a perfect home page for you? I use igoogle too - this is the first I’ve heard of it shutting down ☹ … just checked - at least we have til next November to find an alternative (probably just go back to plain old google) ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/31 "2012-07-04T09:00:10Z")
What? Nobody automatically saves and restores previous sessions? How often do you open your browser from scratch? I use my old tabs to remember what I have to do. New tabs open duplicate pages, so I can go back (e.g. to search results) if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/32 "2012-07-04T12:03:48Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > > [@Musicat](#): > > > > Because bookmarks don’t transfer between computers, > > Nor would your personal site of bookmarks. Come to my house and use my computer and you’re still going to have to navigate to your site before you can start navigating to all your saved sites. My personal HTML site of bookmarks is available EVERYWHERE the Internet is, even your house, because I post it on a web site of my choice and the name can be as short as {domain}\A. There’s not a lot of complicated navigation there. > [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > > [@Musicat](#): > > > > not to mention they don’t automatically sync between different browsers on different computers, and bookmarks have to be organized the way the bookmark programmers say, > > In Firefox you can sort your bookmarks however you like by creating new folders. You probably can in Chrome too but I’m too lazy and sleepy right now to open Chrome. I am forced to use about 7 computers in 5 locations on a weekly basis, and when I support clients, each support session is with another computer. Browsers include Chrome, Firefox and IE (diff versons), on multiple operating systems. Imagine trying to sync those after making a single change, and then re-syncing when a system has to be restored for any reason. Putting a single HTML file on a web site is an easy alternative that has served me well for many years. All I have to do is remember the short URL of my choice. > [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > > [@Musicat](#): > > > > which means next year’s version will be different. > > You mean next week’s version. 😉 You got that right. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/33 "2012-07-04T12:18:46Z")
I use my Home page as a sort of morning newspaper. I have news feeds, filtered to my interests. I have weather, I have a couple of subscribed blogs that I like, I have sports (filtered to the teams I like), I even have a couple of daily cartoons, including classic Calvin & Hobbes. Old habits die hard. I like the cleanest look possible, and customization. I have started out virtually every day of my adult life with some sort of morning news/weather/funnies. For the last 18 yrs or so, it’s been online in one form or another. I haven’t subscribed to a newspaper in about 10 yrs. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/34 "2012-07-04T12:32:49Z")
This sucks about igoogle. I used my yahoo for years until my yahoo acct got spammed and hijacked to death. I think building one sounds like a good idea actually. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/35 "2012-07-04T13:03:17Z")
Gmail. It’s usually my first stop whenever I’m browsing. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/36 "2012-07-04T13:36:53Z")
Another “blank” home pager. And not really that. Since I use Opera, I am lucky enough to be able to have the browser open with _no_ tabs whatsoever. So no home page of any sort. Just beautiful nothingness as a default. I go a long time, weeks, between computer reboots. And I try to keep the browser alive as much as possible thru that time. (Not always possible.) So I rarely start up the browser and then it’s after a crash, so a restore session thing is usually the default. I don’t get the home page concept. Don’t people know about bookmarks? I can see something like iGoogle if you use a lot of different machines and don’t know how to keep an online profile for your bookmarks (and other settings!). But there are better ways. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/37 "2012-07-04T13:43:16Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I don’t get the home page concept. Don’t people know about bookmarks? Yes, I do. So does probably everyone in this thread. Did you read the posts? ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/38 "2012-07-04T13:50:22Z")
I find setting bookmarks to open in new tabs all the time is faster than opening a homepage and clicking on a bookmark. Of course, computer usage is very personal and this may not work for everybody. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/39 "2012-07-04T13:50:54Z")
This is an IMHO thread. Just because any one person (or more) does things the way they _personally like_, doesn’t mean that’s the only way, or the better way, or the smarter way. I was wondering what others do. It’s interesting to me to see other opinions and ways. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162/40 "2012-07-04T13:57:22Z")
On many of the home pages I’ve used, I didn’t have to click on anything. It was just right there. The current weather and basic forecast. Headlines with a very brief blurb of a synopsis (I can click on the link for the whole article). Sports scores. Etc… I can scan the page for something in mere picoseconds. Clicking on links is an option. And it’s all based on options I set. Very much like a newspaper’s front page (but even better). Of course, on the Mighty SDMB, as always, IMHO, YMMV 🙂 . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-use-as-a-browser-home-page/627162.md?page=3)