Get started with the following options —
Start with the Tracker
We follow your browsing, automatically adding nodes to your new Trail. When done, you can add a Title, Description, your own JPGs, PDFs, etc and other refinements with the Trail Editor.
Start with the Bookmarklet
Drag the Trails logo below to your browser's Bookmarks toolbar. Then, surf the web. Whenever you want to add a webpage to a Trail, click the bookmarklet. (more..)
Need a Trail direction? Here are some Requests to get you started —
The 1-2-3 of Great Trails
Trails are a beautiful way to find & share your favorite info.
1. The best Trails share your passion and your knowledge.
So step one is just to uncover your expertise (and everyone is an expert in something). Then, you certainly know 4 or 5 webpages or uploaded PDFs or JPGs that, strung together in a Trail, can help answer for others the same question they answered for you.
2. The virtuous cycle of Requests and Trails.
Looking for inspiration, simply Choose a Request from fellow Trails.by members. Or, create your own request and answer it with a Trail because, guaranteed, if you are looking to find your way thru the overload of googling, others are as well.
3. Help others Find Your Way.
Tag well, tag cleanly. Trails, Requests and notifications all link through overlapping tags. Tagging helps you get notifications when others curate Trails or make Requests with similar interests.
The H-O-W of curating Trails with the Tracker or Bookmarklet
The Tracker is best for when you are just getting started, as it just Tracks you as you browse the web, collecting the URLs (as nodes of the Trail) in the sequence you visit them.
The Trails Bookmarklet lets you be one-click away from Trail building without having to start at the Trails.by website. Simply drag the Trails Bookmarklet to your Bookmarks toolbar of your browser, and then when you find a great URL, click the bookmarklet, and automagically you are building a Trail.
Alrighty, time to Create a Trail!
Advanced User options
Create Trails directly in the Trail Editor
Advanced users or user who want to create Trails with uploaded JPGs, PDFs, etc may also go directly to the Trail Editor from the upper-right-corner 'Trails' icon click on "Create from my content".
After you have created a Trail, you can refine its shape and sequence. This is done in the Trail Editor, where you can toss out nodes you do not want, re-arrange the shape of a Trail from the default left-to-right line, adding tangents and forks if you feel it makes the Trail clearer. You can also change the sequence nodes are experienced if viewers opt to use the 'next' and 'previous' buttons.
Finally, if you previously clicked the 'Make a Trail to answer this Request' button from a Request's page, your Trail will already share the tags from the Request and will be automatically linked from that Request's page as a proposed answer Trail. Additionally, the Request owner will receive a one-time email that a Trail has been proposed for their Request.
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