Banning URL shorteners

[TechBoyJK]

Also, what about url shorteners that ALWAYS give a preview page? For instance..

myurlredirect.com/blabla

takes you to a page that shows you the real link first? ie, that's part of the business model. No blind redirects.

 

[allisolm]

Since vBulletin automatically shortens links, there's no real reason to use shorteners in posts.

example: http : //detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?user=u00000687&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FInk-Toner-Finder%2Fb%2Fref%3Damb_link_7289842_3%3Fie%3DUTF8%26node%3D672508011%26pf_rd_m%3DATVPDKIKX0DER%26pf_rd_s%3Dhero-quick-promo%26pf_rd_r%3D1TJBRECX081HTA21FP4P%26pf_rd_t%3D201%26pf_rd_p%3D505493251%26pf_rd_i%3DB003VQR1S4

becomes: http://www.amazon.com/Ink-Toner-Find...d_i=B003VQR1S4

 

[alkemyst]

Can't copy and paste those though and that's the main problem.

 

[bamacre]

Can't copy and paste those though and that's the main problem.

Right-click, copy link location. That doesn't work for you?

 

[Gillbot]

Right-click, copy link location. That doesn't work for you?

this ^

 

[alkemyst]

hmmm some of us hit the pages on mobile devices y0.

get wit the timez.

 

[bamacre]

Damn kids and their dangnabbin' gizmos.

 

[Gillbot]

hmmm some of us hit the pages on mobile devices y0.

get wit the timez.

I can copy links fine with my blackberry and ipod touch

 

[alkemyst]

The BB pastes the right link?

 

[Gillbot]

does on mine, though I just updated so that may change. Seems like when they fix one thing on an update, they break 30 others.

 

[DrPizza]

hmmm some of us hit the pages on mobile devices y0.

get wit the timez.

Learn to use your mobile device? I tried on my wife's blackberry & had no problem whatsoever.

The obscure URL shorteners will be banned first. The ones I've banned already are ones that have been used within the past week or two to try to circumvent rules here. i.e. referral links. The most common ones will be phased out last. By the time they're censored, most of the relevant URLs they link to will be somewhat outdated as far as links from the tech forums go.

 

[Rubycon]

Can't the forum expand a shortened URL?
There's a URL expander add on for firefox that does this.

 

[alkemyst]

Learn to use your mobile device? I tried on my wife's blackberry & had no problem whatsoever.

The obscure URL shorteners will be banned first. The ones I've banned already are ones that have been used within the past week or two to try to circumvent rules here. i.e. referral links. The most common ones will be phased out last. By the time they're censored, most of the relevant URLs they link to will be somewhat outdated as far as links from the tech forums go.

wow in cow country and with a blackberry.

I seriously have no idea where this book burning mentality is coming from lately here.

Did we have some kind of link issues that none of the regular members seem to have noticed?

I'd be focusing on all the low post members that suddenly know the full history and characters of AT.

IMHO the biggest link issue is the fucking pop up ads that are rampant.

 

[alkemyst]

Since vBulletin automatically shortens links, there's no real reason to use shorteners in posts.

example: http : //detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?user=u00000687&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FInk-Toner-Finder%2Fb%2Fref%3Damb_link_7289842_3%3Fie%3DUTF8%26node%3D672508011%26pf_rd_m%3DATVPDKIKX0DER%26pf_rd_s%3Dhero-quick-promo%26pf_rd_r%3D1TJBRECX081HTA21FP4P%26pf_rd_t%3D201%26pf_rd_p%3D505493251%26pf_rd_i%3DB003VQR1S4

becomes: http://www.amazon.com/Ink-Toner-Find...d_i=B003VQR1S4

I think those saying their blackberries work fine are getting the long obscured link...there is no way they are getting the original one.

 

[Dulanic]

Why do people even use URL shorteners? I have never clicked on one and never will, you have NO idea where it is going to take you. It is like me hoping in a taxi and not knowing where it is going to take me. I could end up in a gang area or I could end up at home. Not worth the risk IMO. I mean yeah i block scripts etc so I "shouldn't" have a problem, but why would I want to do this?

I use QR's but at least I get to see where it is going to send me before I go anywhere.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Why do people even use URL shorteners? I have never clicked on one and never will, you have NO idea where it is going to take you. It is like me hoping in a taxi and not knowing where it is going to take me. I could end up in a gang area or I could end up at home. Not worth the risk IMO. I mean yeah i block scripts etc so I "shouldn't" have a problem, but why would I want to do this?

I use QR's but at least I get to see where it is going to send me before I go anywhere.

While this is a Tech forum, you would be surprised at the number of people here who are not Tech savvy. It isn't like the days when Anand used to run around here and post and stuff - times have changed drastically. What I am getting at is simply, "People don't know any better or care"

And honestly for those complaining about the Detonator.dynamitedata give me a break. So you wait an extra 1-2 seconds, big deal. Certainly not something to whine about - would you rather Anandtech not get any revenue and have to shut down?

-Kevin

 

[alkemyst]

Why do people even use URL shorteners? I have never clicked on one and never will, you have NO idea where it is going to take you. It is like me hoping in a taxi and not knowing where it is going to take me. I could end up in a gang area or I could end up at home. Not worth the risk IMO. I mean yeah i block scripts etc so I "shouldn't" have a problem, but why would I want to do this?

I use QR's but at least I get to see where it is going to send me before I go anywhere.

Many websites you have no idea what's going to pop up. YouTube for one.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Many websites you have no idea what's going to pop up. YouTube for one.

Come on are you really arguing this?

If you see a URL you don't recognize you don't click on it regardless... or at least you shouldn't.

If you see a URL directing to Youtube or a News Article then you know that something could pop up that is NSFW, but you at least know the site isn't Malware, Virus-Ridden, or an inappropriate site in general.

-Kevin

 

[zokudu]

Isn't it possible to show the real URL on mouseover? I thought several of these services did that? Would it be possible to allow the usage of those?

 

[alkemyst]

Come on are you really arguing this?

If you see a URL you don't recognize you don't click on it regardless... or at least you shouldn't.

If you see a URL directing to Youtube or a News Article then you know that something could pop up that is NSFW, but you at least know the site isn't Malware, Virus-Ridden, or an inappropriate site in general.

-Kevin

I keep my computer protected. I'd rather roam the internet mindlessly than be on guard with every click.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Isn't it possible to show the real URL on mouseover? I thought several of these services did that? Would it be possible to allow the usage of those?

In order to show on mouse over, you would have to follow the results of the DNS Lookup. 1 simply lookup wont do it. For instance, I ran an nslookup on a tinyurl link and it wasn't able to resolve it to the correct end site.

I can't speak to any of the services that assist in this, but why do all this work when you can simply say no more tiny url links and solve all problems that could possibly arise from this.

-GP

 

[Gamingphreek]

I keep my computer protected. I'd rather roam the internet mindlessly than be on guard with every click.

Ever heard of a 0 day vulnerability?
Ever heard of an unpatched vulnerability?
Ever wonder how virus definitions are made in the first place? Most of the time someone gets infected first

 

[Rubycon]

In order to show on mouse over, you would have to follow the results of the DNS Lookup. 1 simply lookup wont do it. For instance, I ran an nslookup on a tinyurl link and it wasn't able to resolve it to the correct end site.

I can't speak to any of the services that assist in this, but why do all this work when you can simply say no more tiny url links and solve all problems that could possibly arise from this.

-GP

url expander for firefox works just by mousing over.

 

[Gamingphreek]

url expander for firefox works just by mousing over.

I think the above post was asking about integrating it with the forums so everyone registered here didn't need to be running Firefox with an extension.

I might have misunderstood though.

 

[Numenorean]

URL shorteners are a great way to get around irritating dynamite data.

That wasn't even mentioned, let alone considered as a reason for eliminating them.

BS