Evan Sims

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• So, Jim convinced me to make the switch from Flickr to SmugMug last week; overall, I’ve been incredibly pleased with the service. I’ll go into the reasons I’m enjoying my time with SmugMug so much more than Flickr in a future post. That said, one aspect I didn’t like was their URL scheme. They have good reasons for doing it, and I can’t fault them for trying to maintain the privacy and security of their users. Heck, I applaud them for it. Still, I like my URLs pretty, and more importantly search engine friendly.

  So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and build SmugURL. It takes a obfuscated SmugMug URL (be it a gallery, or a direct link to a photo or video) and makes a pretty version suitable for sharing on your site or with friends.

  Take, for example, my Myst Online (God rest it’s soul) gallery on SmugMug.

  Original URL: http://evansims.smugmug.com/gallery/4717671_Ywtjp#279209234_a2ALu
  SmugURL: http://smugurl.com/evansims/myst_online

  They take you to the same place, one just gives some indication of what we can expect to find there. What makes this different from the multitude of other shortening services out there? Not much, really. However, I liked the idea of enforcing the SmugMug username in the URL so there is some indication of ownership at a glance.

  Give it a try, and let me know if you encounter any problems. It’s very much a work in progress.

  Projects April 22nd, 2008 . Tagged: smugmug.

8 Replies

• 

  I really like this as I wrote something to post to automatically Twitter a Smugmug picture using Tinyurl. One thing you should add so I can use my application would be to do as tinyurl does – http:\\tinyurl.com/api-create.php?url=

  or use an API. It also seems like too much work putting in the address on your main page. Id like it if I could put my whole page link in and it does the work. Thanks

  Steve in Nagoya, Japan

  Reply to this comment

  Steve Nelson     April 23, 2008 at 12:13 am

• 

  I really like this as I wrote something to post to automatically Twitter a Smugmug picture using Tinyurl. One thing you should add so I can use my application would be to do as tinyurl does – http:\tinyurl.com/api-create.php?url=

  or use an API. It also seems like too much work putting in the address on your main page. Id like it if I could put my whole page link in and it does the work. Thanks

  Steve in Nagoya, Japan

  Reply to this comment

  Steve Nelson     April 23, 2008 at 1:13 am

• 

  Ack sorry for my bad grammer (been in Japan toooo long) , I meant I wrote a program that when I push a button automatically Twitter posts a Tinyurl link to my Smugmug photo.

  thanks

  Steve

  Reply to this comment

  Steve Nelson     April 23, 2008 at 12:19 am

• 

  Ack sorry for my bad grammer (been in Japan toooo long) , I meant I wrote a program that when I push a button automatically Twitter posts a Tinyurl link to my Smugmug photo.

  thanks

  Steve

  Reply to this comment

  Steve Nelson     April 23, 2008 at 1:19 am

• 

  Thanks for the thoughts, Steve! I have an API in the works, and will hopefully have it available tonight or tomorrow (depending on how much work I get done in the office today.) I see you added me on Twitter, so I’ll pop you a message there when I have it ready.

  P.S. Japan? I’m so jealous. :)

  Reply to this comment

  Evan     April 23, 2008 at 9:43 am

• 

  Thanks for the thoughts, Steve! I have an API in the works, and will hopefully have it available tonight or tomorrow (depending on how much work I get done in the office today.) I see you added me on Twitter, so I'll pop you a message there when I have it ready.

  P.S. Japan? I'm so jealous. :)

  Reply to this comment

  Evan     April 23, 2008 at 10:43 am

• 

  I’ve got a draft API up; let me know what you think

  Reply to this comment

  Evan     April 23, 2008 at 10:31 am

• 

  I've got a draft API up; let me know what you think

  Reply to this comment

  Evan     April 23, 2008 at 11:31 am