FoxyURL Integrates One Click URL Shortening Into Firefox

I agree with the is.gd Creator FF plugin... shortens & copies to clipboard

For twitter purposes, the Twitlet bookmarklet is awesome. Just click the bookmarklet, type what you are doing and to include the URL to the current website you are at, simply include #link and it will automatically shorten the URL and place into your tweet when you send.

jarhead

@DJ Butler: I am with DJ here.

[addons.mozilla.org]

if you don't already use it, start. its quite handy in IM, but also if you are like me and take notes within files like while writing a manuscript, i put links i want to remember in the text, as well as in notes of cells in excel. handy.

@verygoodyear: not to mention is.gd's extension is "easier" in two ways: it doesn't show a popup and it automatically copies the is.gd url to your clipboard.

twins8791

Even easier: ReplacURLr. Automatically copies the shortened link (is.gd, bit.ly, or TinyURL - your choice)to the clipboard without any annoying popups.

ReplacURLr even replaces the original address in the address bar, to be able to tweet a link with TwitterBar or InstantTweet.

All with one click.

I do not enjoy shortened links, either. How much "valuable" time will this save "busy" Americans? A paltry 2-3 seconds. Now you can get that sneeze in, and it will be like it never happened. :P

I prefer the TR.IM extension, one click generate and copy. Can also give you stats on each URL you create and keeps a history.

[addons.mozilla.org]

k3n85

Rather than encourage more potential linkrot problems http://joshua.schachter.org/2009/04/on-url-shorteners.html (as you allude to at the end of your post), why not check out the rev=canonical idea? http://revcanonical.appspot.com/

SethOtter

Why shorten links anyway? I don't trust them; for all I know a tinyurl link could be to 2girls1cup...

rbuchberger

I use TinyURL Generator firefox extension, which copies the shortened URL to the clipboard so I can put it anywhere with a simple ctrl-V. I prefer the confidence of knowing that TinyURL's historical track record suggests that they will probably be around long after these upstart URL shortening sites fail and the "indefinite" links become broken URLs (see Zi.ma). Bit.ly would be better for Twitter and traffic referral but I have not seen a Firefox extension for it yet.

The one i use is called Spedr and It doesn't open a new window to give you the new url, It just puts it right in the address bar, Which is why i use it.

is.gd has a similar Firefox extension too, plus an is.gd/link is much shorter than many other URL shortening services.

[is.gd]

[addons.mozilla.org]

verygoodyear

is.gd does the same thing. [is.gd]

@verygoodyear: +1 for is.gd addon.

Derek Bender

What an ugly, clunky, verbose and intrusive way of doing something UrlBarExt does simply and among many other features

Charax

@ccahill: I agree! Much easier then FoxyURL. And you choose from different shortening services

I prefer to use Ubiquity to shorten urls and I use bit.ly

vishr

@Derek Bender:

+2

I have the is.gd add-on, and I made it even less obtrusive by dragging the icon next to the "page loading animation" instead of the default larger location next to the home button and address bar.

I like to use Snip-n-Tag, which gives me options like tinyurl, tr.im, is.gd, etc. plus it adds Google Analytics tracking variables automatically. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11492

PageBurdick

[tr.im] lets you add a bookmarklet too, it's shorter than foxyurl.com, as short as is.gd, AND you can create an account and keep track of how many people click your links.

phaed

I use bit.ly via urlbar ext
It's perfect

EnzoFX

@rbuchberger: So they don't spread across a page. Sometimes long URLs will screw up the formatting of a web page, like on forums, where someone posts a long URL and the entire thread then has to be viewed by using a horizontal scroll bar.

Capone

@rbuchberger: The main reason I have for shortening links is when sending URLs via email. You never know what email client people are going to be using, and what their settings are. Long URLs can break over multiple lines, and not everyone is savvy enough to know how to copy and paste the fragments, and how to remove any spaces that might get inserted.

EstherM

@verygoodyear: If only is.gd links weren't blocked where I work. I can't figure out why they are and other url shorteners aren't.

driggity

@Charax: Ya, I use UrlBarExt which is much quicker.

krazyman

I have always wanted to know - which uxtheme is displayed in the screenshots?

ElaineHaeden

Is it me, or am I the only one seeing the similarity to the Facebook icon?

Different color and shape, though

Christian Velasquez

Bookmarklet's can do the trick, too.
E.g. [www.longr.us]

@ElaineHaeden: been wondering the same thing too. if only someone knew...

sosrip14

i use ubiquity. It does it all

koollife

looks like it uses temporary 302 redirects

PamelaAhriman

Or you could use UrlbarExt, which intergrates a "shorten"-button into the adress bar, lets you choose which service to use and much more. Search on Lifehacker for more info about UrlbarExt :)

BrunellaKlim

I have a bit.ly link in my bookmarks that works the same way. Plus I can tweet from there and look at how many times someone clicks on the crap I post.

@k3n85: +10

Tr.im blows it away. Tr.im is the one the shortest url generators, has an AWESOME name, and is owned by Nambu (so it at least looks more legitimate). The Firefox extension is simply awesome and gives one click shortening AND Copying to clipboard, as well as storing that link in your tr.im account, where you can view the click stats.

Do yourself and favor and go with Tr.im, at this point it's better than bit.ly's extension.

Decent URL may not be quite as short, but the generated URL still contains the original's name AND you can type in what you want at the end. [decenturl.com]

[lifehacker.decenturl.com]

Beldar

Me too!

BoBizzle

what is that button next to the minimize button on the top bar?

Surely the line wouldn't be fragmented if you replaced spaces with %20's? But yes, I can see the attractiveness to URL shortening services, I am hesitant to click them though.

@Jason Barone: +10^2 tr.im is simply awesome, and the extension is the same as this plus you can right click on a link and also tr.im a link that way. pure, awesome.