URLs and unthinking webmasters

Subject: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: Mr Red
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 08:15 AM

I link (on cresby.com) to a lot of websites (because I care) and to cut the clutter I usually link to internal pages so that the link is relevant to what I describe &/or the page I put it on.

I find regularly that links change, and mostly to another filename on the same website.

It seems amazing when having nurtured an audience that webmasters can't see that any change risks loosing a chunk of that audience who have put it on their "favourites" and it no longer works. If the surfer has to go looking again they may find an alternative.

The JavaScript to redirect a page to a new page is about 3 lines including the JavaScript TAG /TAG.

in my case I have just changed the dance events page and it took several weeks (as a tinkerer) to devize JavaScript that would make the page look the same to another collector of information (Webfeet) but still re-direct the surfer AND the those that arrive at my site via Webfeet using the specific links which include anchors (subsections inside pages) that Webfeet use. The old page (new name) is still there just in case people prefer it.

I do tell some webmeisters who thank me but a lot just think I know precious little about these things - which is not far from the truth but how much do they know?

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: treewind
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 08:31 AM

Telling the webmaster is a good idea - they don't necessarily know that other people are linking to them, though a "link:" search on alltheweb.com (which does link searches better than Gurgle) is a good plan before making any changes to an address. I've done this when moving a web site to a different domain, contacted webmasters who had links to the old page, and some of them thanked me for that. It also helped with getting visibility of the new site on search engines.

Anahata

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 08:37 AM

"I find regularly that links change, and mostly to another filename on the same website. "

This means that the 'designer' of that website is not very good - mostly hopeless! If 'important info' is needed to be available for a long time, then that page should never change, other than become a redirection or index page.

"The JavaScript to redirect a page to a new page is about 3 lines including the JavaScript TAG /TAG."

And is also easily broken, especially by those who refuse to allow it to run anyway.

"links change, and mostly to another filename"

This is the reason usually given my many designers in the early days (Ah! I remember them...) to NOT provide links to internal pages... The anchors to internal page sections gets much the same response.

While I think your motives are admirable, from my experience mate, you are pushing a sloppy one uphill with a pointed stick... :0

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 08:38 AM

Treewind hasa the right idea - for the people you are linking to, but it doesn't help you, sadly...

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: Mr Red
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 09:14 AM

If things change I have to check - and I do, part of the choices I make. But I am amazed that webmasters don't think it through. OK guilty myself - which is how I came to the thinking I did (long since).

Re-direction within your own website will work - and every time unless anyone has a evidence of how it goes wrong - which I would like to be aware of. I can do nothing if my page is displayed by someone else in a frame and they run a blocking script.

Any ideads anyone?

Sloppy things uphill I don't do. Unless it is my website - then the pointy stick gets a blunt rejoinder, and it understands!

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 09:25 AM

Many website owners want all access to come via the front page without deep linking.

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Jul 08 - 08:08 AM

Maybe they want it but that is one of the definitions of "unthinking",
If you find a page - do you save it in favourites as the homepage or the actual page? Homepage is less user-friendly. Case made -- I submit.

I link to the data not the guff. If kept uptodate it is far better for the surfer or wwilf'er.

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Jul 08 - 01:29 PM

I bought a website this week and discovered that nnothing regarding its construction is intuitive like the last one.
Standing in front of the steepest part of the learning curve is indeed daunting.

Subject: RE: URLs and unthinking webmasters
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 08 - 07:53 AM

If you are changing URL's that your audience know and love (and in their favourites) use a re-direct. I keep promising to find-out who links to me - but the urgency in low because I don't change my URL's - only seem to add to them.

As I am finding - the only certainy on the web is CHANGE.

A bit like life really.

(Just in case anyone mentions death - well, as changes go - it is the biggie)