DEAR SUN SPOTS: Your column in the Jan. 3 paper said you are looking for questions. OK. How about explaining what exactly a “tiny url” is? When you give website references, more often than not you give an address that features a tiny url rather than the website’s normal address. What is a tiny url and, apart from apparently being a typing shortcut, why is it preferable to the normal address? Thanks! — Janet L. via email

ANSWER: Sun Spots is very grateful to you and all the other readers who responded to her plea by sending in their questions, and she is particularly pleased to have a chance to address tiny urls.

As you may already know, a “url” is the direction computers use to find a website. It stands for uniform (or universal) resource locator. (Sun Spots knows a Web editor who refers to himself as the “Duke of Url,” a good joke for those who may remember the 1960s song “Duke of Earl.”)

Unfortunately, these urls often get extremely long, maybe as many as 40 to 50 characters. When they are placed in a column of text, they won’t “break” as a normal word would by hyphenating cleanly, and thus create problems in layout.

Even when they do hyphenate, they can create problems, as readers might not know if the hyphen is part of the Web address or just a break in the text.

The typing shortcut you mention is another plus. If readers want to visit that website, typing in that many characters is frustrating and makes errors likely. This is particularly true if someone has asked Sun Spots to find a product online. Those locations are often exceptionally long.

To make a tiny url, you go to www.tinyurl.com, insert the long website address, and it provides the short one. They do not expire, so tiny urls Sun Spots provided last year are still valid.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I work for the animals at the animal shelter in Lewiston. I am knitting blankets for the cats in the shelter. If you know someone who has four-ply yarn (not cone) that they don’t use, please call me at 777-1593. I don’t have a car. If you could bring the yarn to me, I will pay for your gas. I enjoy knitting. It passes the day. — Germaine Nolan, Lewiston

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Women’s Club of Greene wishes to say “thank you” to all of the families, individuals, churches, businesses, civic groups and clubs that supported our 2011 “Keep Me Warm” Christmas project.

We were able to offer a helping hand to 26 families, four seniors, Hope Haven Mission and Safe Voices due to your continued belief in our endeavors to help our less privileged friends and neighbors during the holiday season.

Our focus will change in 2012. We, like other civic groups, have found our membership dwindling over the years. With fewer members, we no longer have the time, energy and resources to continue the Christmas program in its present form.

We hope to expand our commitment to our community in other ways, and we will keep you informed of our new endeavors and hope that you will continue your support.

All our members would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year in 2012. — Brenda Theriault, Greene

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Leather work now available in L-A

Next »

Postcards from around the world sought