I’ve also noticed people spreading URLs about using tinyurl.com like
I’ve never seen before. I have a bit of a (mostly professional)
aversion against tinyurls, but generally I rarely click on something
unless it’s got some indication of where it’s going to take me. Are
these tinyurls automagically generated or are forum-users really so
keen on them?
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (20.4°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen
On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:19:34 +0000, Per Jessen wrote:
> I’ve also noticed people spreading URLs about using tinyurl.com like
> I’ve never seen before. I have a bit of a (mostly professional)
> aversion against tinyurls, but generally I rarely click on something
> unless it’s got some indication of where it’s going to take me. Are
> these tinyurls automagically generated or are forum-users really so keen
> on them?
Yes, they’re automatically generated.
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:19:34 +0000, Per Jessen wrote:
>
>> I’ve also noticed people spreading URLs about using tinyurl.com like
>> I’ve never seen before. I have a bit of a (mostly professional)
>> aversion against tinyurls, but generally I rarely click on something
>> unless it’s got some indication of where it’s going to take me. Are
>> these tinyurls automagically generated or are forum-users really so
>> keen on them?
>
> Yes, they’re automatically generated.
>
I thought as much - any particular reason? I have no desire to start
changing or questioning everything around here, but what is the point
of tinyurls when nobody has to type them in??
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (18.4°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen
I second the notion about aversion to using them. When I see tinyurl I automatically ignore the posting as I have no idea where it will take me, what is the subject caption. We try to teach NOT to click links without knowing the source for security reason and viral avoidance then here comes community help forum which places these vague links and expects us to blindly click them. You say they are automatically generated, but from what? I see posts with normal links that change from real url to title of destination but the destination shows on the bottom line of the browser. Then there is a tinyurl link which does neither. No real destination url display, No title, just a vague link.
I may have an aversion, since I haven’t knowingly provided one. It sounds like a kind of alias url, generated by a third party, hmm. I too would like to know if there is a “particular reason” or added value to using them. What does tinyurl.com get from doing it?
On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:00:54 +0000, Per Jessen wrote:
> Jim Henderson wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:19:34 +0000, Per Jessen wrote:
>>
>>> I’ve also noticed people spreading URLs about using tinyurl.com like
>>> I’ve never seen before. I have a bit of a (mostly professional)
>>> aversion against tinyurls, but generally I rarely click on something
>>> unless it’s got some indication of where it’s going to take me. Are
>>> these tinyurls automagically generated or are forum-users really so
>>> keen on them?
>>
>> Yes, they’re automatically generated.
>>
>>
> I thought as much - any particular reason? I have no desire to start
> changing or questioning everything around here, but what is the point of
> tinyurls when nobody has to type them in??
Primarily because in some situations the URLs can end up wrapped - and
wrapped URLs tend not to work very well. 
It’s only done on the web forum side, and the individual poster (I’m
told) can disable it if they choose.
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
techwiz03 wrote:
> We try to teach NOT to click links without knowing the source for
> security reason and viral avoidance then here comes community help
> forum which places these vague links and expects us to blindly
> click them.
why avoid them?
what are you afraid of?
you need to remember that when browsing with openSUSE you are not
running an operating system so frail and suspectable to malware that
you must know where the door leads before you click on it…
line me up ten oooooooH Dangerous URLs and let me click on them, please!
here click on this scary thing, please:
Best Sex Movies, Hot XXX Videos, Free TempoPorn Tube | TempoPorn.com
relax.
–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]
On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:06:01 +0000, techwiz03 wrote:
> You say they are automatically generated, but from what?
It only happens on the web interface, basically, unless the poster
specifically disables it, any URLs are converted automatically by
vBulletin.
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:14:21 +0000, DenverD wrote:
> you need to remember that when browsing with openSUSE you are not
> running an operating system so frail and suspectable to malware that you
> must know where the door leads before you click on it…
I think it’s perfectly reasonable to want to know where you’re going
before you get there. Let’s remember that not everyone has the same
level of comfort following links that you obviously do - and let’s also
respect that people have different ideas about how to secure their
systems and protect themselves.
It’s not a question of operating system choice, it’s a question of
personal preference.
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
Hi
Carlos E. R. asked the same question a few weeks ago, I have a perl
script that runs with claws to decode (written by another nntp forum
user).
I posted it here; TinyURL - Pastebin.com
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (x86_64) Kernel 2.6.32.13-0.4-default
up 3:14, 2 users, load average: 0.12, 0.13, 0.10
GPU GeForce 8600 GTS Silent - Driver Version: 256.35
DenverD wrote:
> techwiz03 wrote:
>> We try to teach NOT to click links without knowing the source for
>> security reason and viral avoidance then here comes community help
>> forum which places these vague links and expects us to blindly
>> click them.
>
> why avoid them?
Unless they’re from someone I know, I can’t be bothered. I want to know
where I’m going before I click. An anonymous tinyurl is just not
interesting. I rarely see them anywhere else but in these fora and I
don’t think they’re very useful.
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (18.6°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen
Jim Henderson wrote:
> It’s not a question of operating system choice, it’s a question of
> personal preference.
so, change the fora so it doesn’t auto-convert to tiny unless it uses
the easy and convenient “preview link” like this:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8
easy!
and add an FAQ a request for posters to not use tinyurl or others
unless they use a preview version…
still easy!
–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]
DenverD wrote:
> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> It’s not a question of operating system choice, it’s a question of
>> personal preference.
>
> so, change the fora so it doesn’t auto-convert to tiny unless it uses
> the easy and convenient “preview link” like this:
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8
>
> easy!
And pointless too DenverD - I still can’t tell where that link will take
me.
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (17.6°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen
Per Jessen wrote:
> And pointless too DenverD - I still can’t tell where that link will take
> me.
only because you are ignorant of the use of that preview. in the link?
if you click on http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8, (or any other URL
with the form http://preview.tinyurl.com/)you will learn that the
link goes directly to the tinyurl.com web site, where you CAN SEE, and
decide if you want to go to http://forums.opensuse.org/
try it!
or, are you also afraid of tinyurl.com?
–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]
DenverD wrote:
> Per Jessen wrote:
>> And pointless too DenverD - I still can’t tell where that link will
>> take me.
>
> only because you are ignorant of the use of that preview. in the
> link?
I clicked on the link, but only because it came from you.
> if you click on http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8, (or any other URL
> with the form http://preview.tinyurl.com/)you will learn that the
> link goes directly to the tinyurl.com web site, where you CAN SEE, and
> decide if you want to go to http://forums.opensuse.org/
>
> try it!
I did. I don’t think you’re quite getting the point:
http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support_task.html
It’s perfectly clear where that link goes - to HP, I can even tell it’s
somehow support related.
This link tells me nothing.
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (18.3°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen
Per Jessen wrote:
>I don’t think you’re quite getting the point:
> http://bit.ly/cJH8gG
>
> This link tells me nothing.
no, i understand fully…which is why i didn’t suggest the forum
software to auto insert a bit.ly link, and instead i suggested the
forum software change from what it currently uses (top line) to what
i suggested (bottom line)
http://tinyurl.com/4trnh8
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8
the latter, absolutely lets you see the final landing link before you
click on a blind link…
on the other hand, if folks post using bit.ly (or others) then there
is not much that can be done about that, unless someone would (could)
reprogram to auto connect to the final landing site, collect the full
URL and then return a preview.tinyurl.com link which would show the
actual landing site…
–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]
DenverD wrote:
> Per Jessen wrote:
>>I don’t think you’re quite getting the point:
>> http://bit.ly/cJH8gG
>>
>> This link tells me nothing.
>
> no, i understand fully…which is why i didn’t suggest the forum
> software to auto insert a bit.ly link, and instead i suggested the
> forum software change from what it currently uses (top line) to what
> i suggested (bottom line)
>
>
> http://tinyurl.com/4trnh8
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8
>
>
> the latter, absolutely lets you see the final landing link before you
> click on a blind link…
No, you didn’t understand. Those two links are the same. The URLs have
no information, no clue, nothing to hint at the contents of the page
they link to.
> on the other hand, if folks post using bit.ly (or others) then there
> is not much that can be done about that, unless someone would (could)
> reprogram to auto connect to the final landing site, collect the full
> URL and then return a preview.tinyurl.com link which would show the
> actual landing site…
Just use the actual URL, that’s all that is needed.
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (17.9°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen
Like Per Jessen, techwiz03 and consused I dislike links if I am not able to see (easily) where they lead to.
Compare to a related issue in the wiki:
[opensuse-wiki] Vandalism and new users
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-wiki/2010-07/msg00236.html
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-wiki/2010-07/msg00234.html
http://forums.opensuse.org/english/community/opensuse-wiki-discussions/441276-internal-external-links-definition-rules-guidelines.html
And I may have been using tiny-urls in these fora unwillingly via NNTP, I do not know.
But I might not have understood all DenverD has written: Where can the preferences be set? Can the forums admin set them in a way, that everybody using forums.opensuse.org via web interface or via NNTP gets more information?
And maybe the software for the forums.opensuse.org could be modified a bit like wiki-software at least for pages of openSUSE/Novell:
#441276]] or [forums:#441276]] would lead to the thread I have noted above,
[wiki:terminal]] would lead to http://wiki.opensuse.org/Terminal (if anyone really wants to see that page… )
Greetings
pistazienfresser
Per Jessen wrote:
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/4trnh8
>> http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8
>>
>>
>> the latter, absolutely lets you see the final landing link before you
>> click on a blind link…
>
> No, you didn’t understand. Those two links are the same. The URLs have
> no information, no clue, nothing to hint at the contents of the page
> they link to.
the bottom of the two goes to a preview page at tinyurl.com where you
can see the full url…
> Just use the actual URL, that’s all that is needed.
perhaps i didn’t say it simple enough: if a poster uses this form:
http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support_task.html
the web forum software automatically uses this form in the top line
of my example above which will NOT allow the scared non-clicker to
learn where the link goes…
however, if the forum software were reprogrammed (something Ken has
been very reluctant to do in the past) then the landing site can be
seen one arriving at the preview page…
but, in all those events there is still noting to FORCE all posters to
use what pleases you, Carlos and some others…
please, before you tell me again that
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8 is a blind link, click ON it…and
learn that it does go exactly to a PREVIEW PAGE at tinyurl.com
–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]
DenverD wrote:
> perhaps i didn’t say it simple enough: if a poster uses this form:
> http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support_task.html
> the web forum software automatically uses this form in the top line
> of my example above which will NOT allow the scared non-clicker to
> learn where the link goes…
So like Jim said right at the beginning, it’s a software issue. The
links I use here are not converted though, but then I guess that’s
because the forum software isn’t getting in the way.
> however, if the forum software were reprogrammed (something Ken has
> been very reluctant to do in the past) then the landing site can be
> seen one arriving at the preview page…
Which does not improve the situation. I’m not scared of a tinyurl link,
I’m not interested.
> but, in all those events there is still noting to FORCE all posters to
> use what pleases you, Carlos and some others…
Of course, I am not out to change anyting, I’m just asking.
> please, before you tell me again that
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8 is a blind link, click ON it…and
> learn that it does go exactly to a PREVIEW PAGE at tinyurl.com
DenverD, I have not said it is a blind link. Look at the URLs, but DON’T
click:
http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support_task.html
http://tinyurl.com/4trnh8
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4trnh8
Which of those contains information about what it leads to?
–
Per Jessen, Zürich (16.4°C)
http://en.opensuse.org/User:pjessen