Okay, let me ask it a different way.
 

Do you <b>favor</b> or <b>oppose</b> Fodor's changing their server program so that when we type a URL, it is automatically converted to a link that hides all of the URL except the server name (<i>e.g.</i>, www.whitehouse.gov) so that

1. The URL doesn't overflow, forcing horizontal scrolling, and

2. We aren't forced to use tinyurl.com and wind up with a link that some people won't click on because the server name is obscured.

No personalities, please. Just yea or nay.

I favor a scheme that allows us to give a name to link, eg, &quot; see XYZ&quot; where &quot;XYZ&quot; would be the link.

((I))

Some posters have registered opposition to &quot;blind&quot; URLs such as tinyurl.com produces, because they have a better chance of avoiding offensive content if the server name is exposed.

Allowing posters to define the link text would defeat the purpose.

Oppose.

I think that Fodor's should use what technical resources they have on improving the deficiencies in their search funtion,

Google.com offers a perfectly serviceable search facility. Enter your search parameters and the site name, thus:

<b>&quot;rue cler&quot; site:fodors.com</b> and be amazed.

Yea.
(although I like the tinyurl, now that you taught me how to use it..thanks again)

Yeah, but it still takes several steps to use tinyurl. This (being completely automatic) would save you the trouble.

Oppose. I agree with laverendrye that their resources could be better used for other things--like reconfiguring the site to look &amp; work like a NORMAL forum, like flytertalk.com. I hate this format.

Not being a techie, I never gave it much thought.

Whatever is easiest to use, I suppose.

However, if one were looking for links and specific linkage and answers, just seeing what appears to be the home page of a huge site may make them think their question hasn't been answered.

Sounds good to me so I &quot;favor&quot;.

I prefer Fodor's format to flyertalk.

g33kgrl - they don't have TIME to make the site work like flyertalk.com, or fix the search function. What I'm proposing would take ten minutes, tops.

ilovetotravel29 - the full URL would be &quot;behind&quot; the link, so clicking the link text would take you to the exact page reference. The link text would be the server name. Let's say I wanted to cite this thread somewhere else. I would paste the entire URL from the title at the top of the column:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34797822

All that stuff after the .com would be hidden, so the only thing that you would see would be www.fodors.com - but clicking on it would take you directly to this thread.

I agree with ira and ilovetotravel. Plus, you can always mouse over a link and see its full URL in the browser status bar. Seeing just the domain name is misleading if the actual URL is for a specific page.

We had a similar issue with URLs in an internal search tool at my last job - when they're too long they force horizontal scrolling, and there's no good coding solution.

The interface solution we came up with was for URLs over X character length, put an ellipses in the middle so the user saw the domain and the end of the relevant page, such as http://www.fodors.com...tid=34797822. The full URL displayed in &quot;popup&quot; text when the link was moused over (not supported by all browsers though), and in the browser status bar. It was a compromise: ugly, but worked well enough...

Favor this proposed measure. Would also like to see a &quot;skip to last post I read&quot; function in each thread.

Nay.

But ggreen - being able to see all or part of the fully-qualified document specification doesn't give a surfer any more information than just the server name does.

I could put up a site xxxx.com and have document names like Mona_Lisa.html or HerMajesty.jpg and you'd have NO IDEA what you were going to see. The xxxx.com in and of itself might give you a clue, however.

ggreen, I think some people may not know about seeing the full URL in the status bar.

I have seen (and don't mind) the pop-up style you mention.

Yes that's true - I should spread the word, it can be so helpful! :)

whatever works! if it gets me there...

Rufus, do you have a reason, or are you just being obtuse?

I also prefer this format. Took me a few minutes to get used to it and realize that it's much better than some other forums I have seen.