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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Hello MNHQ - a question about automatic links please?

288 replies

rhondajean · 02/10/2012 22:52

Seems that quite a few of us are now having names of online shops come up as automatic links.

Eg(and fingers crossed these work!

Argos
Next
Marks and spencers
Wilkes
Toys r us

Can you confirm if this is a new addition to MN or are we all infected with something nasty?

Thankoo! Grin

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 15:43

No. Two colours wouldn't be a bit much.

::gavel::

::flees::

tribpot · 03/10/2012 15:43

Two colours would be greatly preferable, if the links must remain at all.

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aufaniae · 03/10/2012 15:46

I don't think two colours would be a bit much, as it's giving useful information.

When they're indistinguishable, it devalues our own links IMO e.g. people may assume they're ad links and not click on them.

I think having a different colour is more honest.

Using the same colour is a bit sneaky, as if you're trying to pass the links of as being intended by the poster - it feels kind like you're putting words in our mouths IYSWIM.

Naoko · 03/10/2012 15:52

Am I the only person who cares about the 'it looks like malware' issue? :( That really is bad online form, you know. If nothing else, you're teaching people that website automatically inserting links in your posts to things you didn't mean to link to is ok. And it isn't, because in many cases it means their computer is infected.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 15:52

As I said I think it is very important to differentiate between user links, and the auto links. So two colours would be great.

but of course we won't get two colours because then no one would click on the affiliate links and mn wouldn't make money from it

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 15:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Empusa · 03/10/2012 15:59

"Am I the only person who cares about the 'it looks like malware' issue? "

No, I was convinced it was malware when I first heard about it.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 16:01

Also, if you don't make the mn auto links different how are you going to tell if it's you are an enterprising mner who is also making money from a similar scheme?

YY to looking like malware.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 16:01

You or an

Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 16:13

It would look like Malware, if I could see it I would assume I had a virus on my computer.

Hence the different colour for it.

tribpot · 03/10/2012 16:36

Naoko - I hope MN will include your malware comment in their feedback to the supplier. Presumably other customers have raised the concern as well?

frankie4 · 03/10/2012 16:40

I think 2 colours would be fine.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 17:00

So now we have things like Marks and Spencer auto linking what's to stop me doing this and linking it to my affiliate program so I get money instead? How would anyone tell?

SmokyClav · 03/10/2012 20:12

Ooh- good call ItsAll!

ToothGah · 03/10/2012 20:20

I think this is so wrong, sorry MN (still love you all, it's just made me cross).

On S&B this has ruined the threads. I've just looked at an old perfume thread, and now there are links to most brand names that wouldn't have been there before.

It's like someone said up there ^ putting words in our mouths :(

Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 20:27

We can tell because it says affliate at the end of the link?

I'll just stop clicking any links at all, personally.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 20:33

tee when you hover over it? Can't do that on my phone or tablet.

ToothGah · 03/10/2012 20:43

It would be better if they were different colours.

Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 20:50

That's a good point. Although even clicking it shows /affiliate.

Do you get something if I just click the link? Or do I have to buy something?

EdMcDunnough · 03/10/2012 20:56

Oh God this is horrible

I just started a thread about it as I was so shocked Sad

Sorry

God I don't want to have to leave AGAIN

CharminglyOdd · 03/10/2012 21:13

I will repeat what I said on the other thread. I don't like this. Yes, it's easy to get around but I don't want my posts turned into adverts that affect a company's Google rankings. I don't mind clicking on adverts once in a while but I choose to do that - turning my words into advertising isn't on.

I was asking advice on washing machines and the brands I was asking about weren't linked (my fault I didn't convert them) but the shop was, which is confusing. Plenty of other posters have said this far more articulately than me.

JollyToddler · 03/10/2012 21:25

I don't like this either.

I don't like that now people won't know which of my links I meant and which I didn't. If this is going to continue I think you'll have to take away the ability of posters to put words into the square brackets to shorten the links, iyswim, so all links intended by posters will be in their full form rather than just saying click here.

Actually, I may just give up on mn if there are going to be links everywhere.

JollyToddler · 03/10/2012 21:26

It's a bit ridiculous that we can swear on this site but we now have to write sains burys with a space in it to get around advertising them accidentally!

EdMcDunnough · 03/10/2012 21:31

I don't think I can bear it. There are plenty of other sites that do this throughout people's posts...you can't say the word 'pushchair' without it linking you to some shopping site.

It's just so awful.