[joshgree88]

Why does the in-house URL shortener require 2 weeks notice and masses of paper work... Just throw together a gov.uk shortener tool...

[tfsh]

I assume the shorturl would be named (hypothetically gov.uk/ucas -> gov.uk/university-clearing-through-ucas). Fully established tech companies has a similar process for requesting short links, for instance Google has an internal form to request g.co/ short links.

[joshgree88]

I do not believe that it takes 2 weeks to get one at Google?

[wizzwizz4]

UK Government URLs are (practically) forever.

[ben0x539]

Probably because they want to be in the loop.

[robinoh]

I guess this is what they refer to as red tape?

> `How to request a short URL*

> Submit a new feature request using the support form.

> You’ll need to tell us:

> - the reason you need a short URL

> - the content or page the short URL will link to

> - how your short URL will be used in marketing and promotion

> - the channels you will be using, the number of users who will be targeted

> - what the main message will be in your marketing and communications

> - how many government departments or organisations will promote the short URL

[zinekeller]

I think that there's should be an automatic tool for anything under .gov.uk and .nhs.uk, and then manual process for other links.

[ben0x539]

I get the impression that they want to ensure people choose meaningful short(ish) URLs, rather than getting random alphanumeric suffixes, because they are invested in the trust placed in the gov.uk domain and it not looking like phishing bullshit. So it makes sense to me that they want to curate the namespace rather than making it either self-service or fully automated.

[joshgree88]

Yeah absolutely but you can write a tool that does that and doesn't require 2 weeks wait time... Its just a crazy example of gov bureaucracy!