On: Link shorteners hurt the user experience and destroy the Web

[dons]

Yeah. We used started using tinyurl on #haskell IRC by 2003 because long urls would break line wrapping, get mangled, not be typeable etc.

[elinchrome → dons]

Please explain your "typeable" concern. I've been using IRC since the dawn of time and I could always copy and paste. Not to mention that links are recognized and you can click them.

[rikkus → elinchrome]

Copy and paste didn't work too well on serial terminals. How far back was this 'dawn of time'?

[elinchrome → rikkus]

Mid nineties.

[FroshKiller → elinchrome]

I'm going to hazard a guess that you're a Windows or Mac user.

[sp332 → FroshKiller]

Well you can paste into irssi too.

[smtddr → FroshKiller]

i̶r̶s̶s̶i̶, or rather the terminal it's running in according to the person replying my comment, lets you click on links to open a browser too.

[bluefinity → smtddr]

That's the terminal, not irssi.

[npsimons → FroshKiller]

Middle-click much?