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I'd argue that the majority of people that are using URL shorteners have a more fundamental problem: They don't even realize that most of the params aren't need
by DannoHung 18y ago
I'd argue that the majority of people that are using URL shorteners have a more fundamental problem: They don't even realize that most of the params aren't needed.
For example, I recently looked at this King Hokum CD on Amazon (awesome artist BTW, this CD is stupid overpriced though): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012U346Y/ref=s9_sims_gw_s2_p15_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0T627SFJ995DPDR7SZHP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012U346Y/ref=s9_sims_gw_s...
What's the relevant part?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012U346Y http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012U346Y
But how the hell does someone know that without dicking around?!
- rizzn 18y agoThat still won't help someone who's trying to paste it into Twitter or a Facebook status feed.
- tlrobinson 18y agoThose are problems that should be solved by Twitter and Facebook. Give people a way to put a link with shorter link text, something simple like Markdown [text](url) format. If the message is being sent to SMS or some other constrained medium, then automatically shorten it. Chances are that link won't be distributed beyond the device it's sent to anyway.
- Devilboy 18y agoYoutube helps users by providing a link for you to copy, sites like Amazon should do the same.
- lena 18y agoI agree, but please don't let that be the short link. The Amazon link DannoHung mentions is a bit weird, but Amazon's default links are really helpful, with the title in it. People often link to a book like this: "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Web-Interfaces-Principles-Interactions/dp/0596516258 http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Web-Interfaces-Principles-In...; is a good book!" I find it useful that when I mouseover the link, I can see the title of the book, and then realize I either already know the book, don't like the book, or would like to read more. If the link is just <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596008031 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596008031">this</a...; I have to click before knowing what exactly the book is that the person recommends. Useful URL's are a good thing and it saddens me that the current debate does not focus on that more and that people even argue that standard url's should be short and non descriptive.