Posting Date: May 28, 2002

TinyURL (via Boing Boing) -- "Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to have to cut and paste it back together?" (Comments: Much like Make A Shorter Link.)

Reader Comments...

Another such service is http://shorl.com

The added feature (which I like very much) is that it allows you to track how many people used that link. Very cool.

Posted by: MadMan on May 29, 2002 12:21 AM

It'd be nice if more developers considered the URL to be part of the design of the site. A long, untidy URL gives the wrong impression and is offputting for users. There are also good technical reasons for use default documents throughout a site (no problems if a switch is made to a different scripting technology).

There are techniques available allowing the use of user-/search-engine-'friendly' URLs for virtually all servers and scripting languages, yet many supposedly top-notch firms/CMSs are still showing off their innards in URLs.
(note to self: switch own weblog to use better URLs for archive section. Pot,kettle,black,etc.)

Posted by: Matt Round on May 29, 2002 02:48 AM

Matt, you should see the URLs generated by BroadVision. ;)

Posted by: MadMan on May 29, 2002 06:05 AM

Outpost.com is a site that uses Broadvision. Here's the URL for their "Software (PC and Mac)" page:

http://shop3.outpost.com/{PPTyo9seyaxfkJkIMAy271zVJC4GsA2bvCgVzs2oKX6IIkoXeulK|6385617801620374340/168694311/6/7001/7001/7002/7002/7001/-1|706101755662355146/168694309/6/7001/7001/7002/7002/7001/-1|1022685859594}/template/software/

Oooh, try sending *that* to a friend by email. ;)

Go try it out for yourself at http://www.outpost.com

Posted by: MadMan on May 29, 2002 11:24 AM

Also check out http://notlong.com

It includes a comparison of several of these services.

Posted by: Eric on August 12, 2002 05:23 PM

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