Comments on: Good Domain Names and URLs http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/ Sharing technology ideas for LDS parents and youth Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:26:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Silus Grok http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9550 Silus Grok Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:07:12 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9550 ( And while I'm here… I might as well encourage the web team to stage a coup and wrestle the MLS system from whomever has it now. Using MLS is a life-shortening, soul-destroying experience. * Viva la e-Revolución! * ) (
And while I’m here… I might as well encourage the web team to stage a coup and wrestle the MLS system from whomever has it now. Using MLS is a life-shortening, soul-destroying experience.

* Viva la e-Revolución! *
)

]]> By: Silus Grok http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9549 Silus Grok Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:04:01 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9549 Oh… didn't complete my thought: I hope there's some fuzzy logic on the back-end so "oldtestament.LDS.org", "LDS.org/oldtestament/", "LDS.org/OT/", et cetera all resolve properly. Now, granted, a fixed approach to the "true" path is necessary. Set a schema in place, and stick to it — make it transparent and guessable. But then allow people to make a mistake and still reach their desired destination. I would especially like a system that would educate along the way: I can just picture a Basecamp-esque fade-away box at the head of the page that says "in the future, you can reach this page directly at 'LDS.org/schema_appropriate_URL'". Another thought: I'm not entirely bowled-over by #7. Sub-domains for LARGE and NATURAL sub-divisions of content — like "wards.LDS.org", "news.LDS.org" — is okay. But I'd hate to see "oldtestament.LDS.org" be an actual URL (I'd still like it to work — but it's just too granular to be a true path). Not to mention the SEO implications. Oh… didn’t complete my thought:

I hope there’s some fuzzy logic on the back-end so “oldtestament.LDS.org”, “LDS.org/oldtestament/”, “LDS.org/OT/”, et cetera all resolve properly.

Now, granted, a fixed approach to the “true” path is necessary. Set a schema in place, and stick to it — make it transparent and guessable. But then allow people to make a mistake and still reach their desired destination.

I would especially like a system that would educate along the way: I can just picture a Basecamp-esque fade-away box at the head of the page that says “in the future, you can reach this page directly at ‘LDS.org/schema_appropriate_URL’”.

Another thought: I’m not entirely bowled-over by #7. Sub-domains for LARGE and NATURAL sub-divisions of content — like “wards.LDS.org”, “news.LDS.org” — is okay. But I’d hate to see “oldtestament.LDS.org” be an actual URL (I’d still like it to work — but it’s just too granular to be a true path). Not to mention the SEO implications.

]]> By: Silus Grok http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9548 Silus Grok Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:56:33 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9548 I look forward to the changes… and especially hope that there is some fuzzy logic on the back-end. Moreover, I hope that a real commitment evolves towards permanent content — and permanent URLs. I don't link much to LDS.org for two reasons: the perceived impermanence of the content, and the difficulty the Church has in telling its own story. Fixing the URLs and committing to permanent content is a great first step. The other point… well, that will take some effort from other folks. :) And as far as changing IHC.com to intermountainhealthcare.org… right thing, wrong direction. I hate when non-profits sport .COM TLDs. Drives me CRAZY. So I'm glad that they're finally owning that they are, indeed, a .ORG. On the other hand, when I worked with folks in IHC PR, I plead with them to change their name. "Intermountain Health Care" and "IHC" sound like a giant 50s-era, faceless, out-of-state corporation — instead of the home-grown, non-profit, family of hospitals that it is. No wonder they have such a problem on the Hill — people naturally perceive them as the bad guy. It's like naming your son "Sue" — wrong message. So, yeah… right thing, wrong direction. I look forward to the changes… and especially hope that there is some fuzzy logic on the back-end. Moreover, I hope that a real commitment evolves towards permanent content — and permanent URLs.

I don’t link much to LDS.org for two reasons: the perceived impermanence of the content, and the difficulty the Church has in telling its own story. Fixing the URLs and committing to permanent content is a great first step. The other point… well, that will take some effort from other folks.
:)

And as far as changing IHC.com to intermountainhealthcare.org… right thing, wrong direction.

I hate when non-profits sport .COM TLDs. Drives me CRAZY. So I’m glad that they’re finally owning that they are, indeed, a .ORG.

On the other hand, when I worked with folks in IHC PR, I plead with them to change their name. “Intermountain Health Care” and “IHC” sound like a giant 50s-era, faceless, out-of-state corporation — instead of the home-grown, non-profit, family of hospitals that it is. No wonder they have such a problem on the Hill — people naturally perceive them as the bad guy. It’s like naming your son “Sue” — wrong message.

So, yeah… right thing, wrong direction.

]]> By: Jon in Austin http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9544 Jon in Austin Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:18:20 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9544 Thoughts on ihc.com turning into intermountainhealthcare.org? Thoughts on ihc.com turning into intermountainhealthcare.org?

]]> By: Tamra Hamblin http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9523 Tamra Hamblin Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:53:03 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9523 Great job! Are there any plans to involve members with websites by asking them to link to their favorite LDS website in an effort to increase the incoming links for the Church? Also, is there a list somewhere of all the Church Web sites? Great job!
Are there any plans to involve members with websites by asking them to link to their favorite LDS website in an effort to increase the incoming links for the Church?
Also, is there a list somewhere of all the Church Web sites?

]]> By: ldsWebguy http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9518 ldsWebguy Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:23:10 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9518 You're all exactly right! We're not yet where we want to be with LDS.org. One of the things we did with the redesigned LDS.org that launched in January, was to install a content management system to handle all the languages (which will come in about six months). The content management system made it difficult to control the domain names, but we've now figured out how to override the wierd and long URLs the system automatically generates, and do it in multiple languages. When we implement these enhancements within a few months, you'll see a huge improvement in the URLs. You’re all exactly right! We’re not yet where we want to be with LDS.org. One of the things we did with the redesigned LDS.org that launched in January, was to install a content management system to handle all the languages (which will come in about six months). The content management system made it difficult to control the domain names, but we’ve now figured out how to override the wierd and long URLs the system automatically generates, and do it in multiple languages. When we implement these enhancements within a few months, you’ll see a huge improvement in the URLs.

]]> By: Tamra Hamblin http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9508 Tamra Hamblin Sat, 08 Dec 2007 08:01:53 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9508 So what about SEO, Brother Richman. Do you think that having sites as subdomains instead of on their own domains hurt the sites rankings? Are there plans in the near future for a mod rewrite as Jacob mentioned that will help with the SEO rankings as well as the linking of other sites? So what about SEO, Brother Richman.
Do you think that having sites as subdomains instead of on their own domains hurt the sites rankings?
Are there plans in the near future for a mod rewrite as Jacob mentioned that will help with the SEO rankings as well as the linking of other sites?

]]> By: jacob http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9496 jacob Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:24:58 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9496 Going along with Silus' comment, I pretty sure that it wouldn't be that hard to use a mod_rewrite rule in apache to turn some long complicated URL into simply, LDS.org. One of the problems with having weird urls like: http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/ is then what happens when someone goes to link to that page by copying the URL out of the location bar of their browser? Then you change your homepage technologies or something and all of a sudden, their link doesn't point to the homepage anymore. Going along with Silus’ comment, I pretty sure that it wouldn’t be that hard to use a mod_rewrite rule in apache to turn some long complicated URL into simply, LDS.org.

One of the problems with having weird urls like:
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/ is then what happens when someone goes to link to that page by copying the URL out of the location bar of their browser? Then you change your homepage technologies or something and all of a sudden, their link doesn’t point to the homepage anymore.

]]> By: Silus Grok http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9492 Silus Grok Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:51:44 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9492 Amen... the krufty addresses are a headache. But it seems that they've gotten somewhat better over the last year or so. But this is still the home page: http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e419fb40e21cef00VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD Um... wouldn't "lds.org" do? Amen… the krufty addresses are a headache. But it seems that they’ve gotten somewhat better over the last year or so.

But this is still the home page:

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e419fb40e21cef00VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD

Um… wouldn’t “lds.org” do?

]]> By: Steve http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-9490 Steve Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:39:32 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/12/07/good-domain-names-and-urls/#comment-9490 I was pleased to read your mention of sub domains of LDS.org however I was disappointed to find that only three of the ones you mentioned actually worked? (temples.lds.org ces.lds.org and josephsmith.lds.org) Rather than just try haphazardly is there any listing somewhere of the ones that have been set-up? I was pleased to read your mention of sub domains of LDS.org however I was disappointed to find that only three of the ones you mentioned actually worked? (temples.lds.org ces.lds.org and josephsmith.lds.org)

Rather than just try haphazardly is there any listing somewhere of the ones that have been set-up?

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