When entering a URL into an email or Usenet post, the URL can wrap around the post making it impossible to click. Users will have to manually cut and paste the URL into their browser which is painfully inconvenient and prone to errors.
As such, we have incorporated a service to truncate your URL at http://use.net.au.
Turn this:
http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin/rsearch?a=s&cu=fn-rea&s
=nsw&ss=&ag=&t=res&snf=rbs&chk=0&lead=&ty=&tb=+ABBOTS
BURY%2C+ABERDARE%2C+ABBOTSFORD%2C+ABERGLASSLYN%2
C+ADAMSTOWN+HEIGHTS%2C+CONCORD%2C+CONCORD+WEST%
2C+RYDE%2C+RHODES%2C+&u=RHODES&is=1&pm=700000&px=10
00000&pme=700000&pxe=1000000&cat=Duplex%2FSemi-Detached%
2CHouse%2CTerrace%2CTownhouse%2CVilla%2CWarehouse&cat=Acreage
%2FSemi-Rural&o=def
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into this...
Criticism of the truncating URL services
The convenience offered by a truncated URL also introduces potential problems, which have led to criticism of their use.
Truncated URLs are opaque, hiding the ultimate destination from a web user. This can be used to unwittingly send people to sites that may offend their sensibilities, or crash or compromise their computer using browser vulnerabilities. To help combat such abuse, you will be advised of the final destination with about 5 second warning before you're launched to the destination URL. If you're not happy with the URL, you can choose to close the browsing window!
Opaqueness is also leveraged by spammers, who can use such links in spam (mostly blog spam), bypassing URL blacklists. In 2006, Myspace banned posting any URL from tinyurl.com due to the unknown destination and lack of accountability.
It is considered to be good Netiquette to use a short URL service (for which there are many), although, it is also good online manners to advise the recipient(s) where your link will take them.
Please use our service responsibly. Any person who uses use.net.au for spam or unsolicited purposes will have their details reported to the appropriate authority for swift identification.
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