To the mods: Does this forum use Skimlinks?

srivats · Jan 7, 2011

I noticed that some links on the site go through redirectingat.com/?id= ... I've also noticed this with links that I've sent in some PMs.

Mods, is this intentional? Just curious. I don't have an issue with it if you are using it for tracking purposes, but sometimes the links simply fail (which you know only after the post is posted). The only workaround is to place such failing link within URL tags.

Has anyone else noticed this?

zippyh · Jan 7, 2011

Yeah I've noticed a lot of those shady redirectingat links don't work.

unjung · Jan 7, 2011

Is it possible you guys actually have malware that is fubaring the links? I've never seen a link like that.

zippyh · Jan 7, 2011

Hover over a link in a post and the url shows. Now right click on the link and look at the properties.
The url gets rewritten with the redirectingat stuff.
Also note that after you've viewed the properties like that, when you hover over the link it shows the rewritten url.

I'm sure it's just generating revenue for SF which is fine except that some percentage of the times the links don't work.

srivats · Jan 7, 2011

Originally Posted by unjung

Is it possible you guys actually have malware that is fubaring the links? I've never seen a link like that.

I run linux ... no malware on my computer(s). Even the link you posted above goes to google.ca via redirectingat:

Code:

http://redirectingat.com/?id=4092X6...orum.net/showthread.php?p=3983616#post3983616

Originally Posted by zippyh

Hover over a link in a post and the url shows. Now right click on the link and look at the properties.
The url gets rewritten with the redirectingat stuff.
Also note that after you've viewed the properties like that, when you hover over the link it shows the rewritten url.

I'm sure it's just generating revenue for SF which is fine except that some percentage of the times the links don't work.

Exactly ... it is not a big deal as long as the links work. Sometimes they fail miserably and you know only when someone else points it out.

unjung · Jan 9, 2011

I really think you guys have something... I would find a HijackThis forum and get your system cleaned up. I don't see this redirect URL on any links on SF, and the fact no one else has posted to this thread makes me suspect your computers even more.

mainy · Jan 9, 2011

Yeah, not seeing that on either of my computers either. Might be infected with something.

gdl203 · Jan 9, 2011

Yep, same thing here. The redirectingat address shows for a fraction of a second after clicking the link, When hovering over the link, it doesn't show the redirectingat address but when checking properties of the link, it's there.

NOBD · Jan 9, 2011

Here as well.

Sanguis Mortuum · Jan 9, 2011

Yes, this forum clearly does use skimlinks. Just check the source for any page and you'll see it imports the skimlinks JavaScript from skimresources.com, which is what then goes through all the links in the page and replaces them with their skimlinks equivelants.

zippyh · Jan 9, 2011

Originally Posted by gdl203

Yep, same thing here. The redirectingat address shows for a fraction of a second after clicking the link, When hovering over the link, it doesn't show the redirectingat address but when checking properties of the link, it's there.

That's because the link doesn't get rewritten until a mouse down event. Right click on a link. You don't even have to view properties. Then hover over the link.

It appears that blocking some ad/tracking hosts (example 1901.nordstrom.com) will cause some problems with the redirectingat links. It nothing nefarious. More a minor annoyance.

MyOtherLife · Jan 9, 2011

Definitely some sort of data mining malware in your pc.

LA Guy · Jan 9, 2011

Yes, we have skimlinks running. We installed the codes about a month (or two?) ago. It saved us having to have to write a bunch of our own codes. As it turns out, the programming involved for a lot of affiliate programs are non-trivial, so we just went through a third party service.

You guys were saying some redirects were not working? Could you PM me and j which links those are if you see them again, and we'll call tech support? Thanks,

AB01 · Jan 10, 2011

I use an iPod and notice the issue. The links fail sometimes and I often have to retry the same link a second time to get it to work. The address of the link doesn't matter. It seems to happen randomly. Perhaps their servers go down for a minute.

What's the point of using this service? Revenue, tracking or both? Is it really worth having?

zippyh · Jan 10, 2011

One example is the tobi.com affiliate link in SW&D.
Another one I recall was a link for shop.nordstrom.com.

If I strip out the redirectingat part of the rewritten url and paste the original target url into my browser it works fine. It's the rewritten url that doesn't work. I'm blocking a bunch of ad/tracking hosts and suspect it has to do with that.

To the mods: Does this forum use Skimlinks?

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