Hufu thread hijacks

March 9, 2006 8:02 PM

Remember the hufu thread where some of the links went to Microsoft for no good reason? Well it seems there's a reason why. [more inside]
posted by furtive to bugs at 8:02 PM (22 comments total)

Sorry if this is a bit of AdvocacyFilter and sorry to label it under bugs when it's not a MeFi bug per se, but I thought people here would want to know about it.
posted by furtive at 8:02 PM on March 9, 2006

Hmm...I guess there isn't much more inside after all. My bad.
posted by furtive at 8:03 PM on March 9, 2006

Ok, to summarise, when a url isn't a well formed url most browsers will just grab the first result on Google for that word, but badly formed urls that start with http at the beginning will hit the Microsoft website instead, since for some reason it's the first hit in Google for the term http, even though it would make more sense for the page to link to the http protocol.
posted by furtive at 8:11 PM on March 9, 2006

Recently discussed here, and currently featured on the sidebar.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:14 PM on March 9, 2006

no kidding?
posted by puke & cry at 8:15 PM on March 9, 2006

The http protocol?
posted by cillit bang at 8:18 PM on March 9, 2006

No, the HTTP protocol.
posted by MetaMonkey at 8:50 PM on March 9, 2006

that shouldn't have been uppercase
posted by MetaMonkey at 8:51 PM on March 9, 2006

Funny. Google returns google for me.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:31 PM on March 9, 2006

Previously discussed in Metatalk.
posted by vacapinta at 10:33 PM on March 9, 2006

Perhaps a regexp that validated well formed URLs would spare us this problem at least in MeFi.
posted by furtive at 11:44 PM on March 9, 2006

"HTTP protocol" is redundant, like "ATM machine".
posted by gubo at 12:46 AM on March 10, 2006

"HTTP protocol" is redundant, like "ATM machine".

Yeah and "DC Comics" literally means "detective comics comics" but no one is going to say "D Comics".
posted by Space Coyote at 2:12 AM on March 10, 2006

Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:04 AM on March 10, 2006

Dammit! You summarized! This is why I normally read the thread before the article!
posted by graventy at 5:31 AM on March 10, 2006

Yeah and "DC Comics" literally means "detective comics comics" but no one is going to say "D Comics".

Thanks, that's great -- I'll use it next time someone pulls that tired "ATM machine is redundant!" bullshit.
posted by languagehat at 5:54 AM on March 10, 2006

The hoi polloi thank you. HTTP
posted by OmieWise at 6:03 AM on March 10, 2006

This guy in the cube next to me just said "Every time your toilet backs up you can blame Al Gore".
posted by If I Had An Anus at 6:13 AM on March 10, 2006

No, but they can just say "DC" or "ATM." And with DC, that's a noun phrase that functions as a proper noun, which makes it different from "ATM machine." DC is an abstract entity that posesses things, including comics. ATMs are not.

HTTP Doing my part.
posted by klangklangston at 6:54 AM on March 10, 2006

No, but they can just say "DC" or "ATM." And with DC, that's a noun phrase that functions as a proper noun, which makes it different from "ATM machine." DC is an abstract entity that posesses things, including comics. ATMs are not.

I can't help but hear this in the voice of Comic Book Guy.
posted by languagehat at 6:55 AM on March 10, 2006

If I Had An Anus writes "This guy in the cube next to me just said 'Every time your toilet backs up you can blame Al Gore'."

I love that guy, the toilet guy, not Gore.
posted by OmieWise at 6:55 AM on March 10, 2006

furtive: "Perhaps a regexp that validated well formed URLs would spare us this problem at least in MeFi."

Previously discussed and ignored by the powers that be.
posted by Plutor at 10:23 AM on March 10, 2006