[hoistbypetard]

I have written my own URL shortener. I do it partly to get URLs that are nice to type in printed materials.

I also use it to hedge my risks from using SaaS. For my org, we host some things that we offer to the public on different services. Sometimes a vendor doesn't work out. We use our shortened URLs in public communications, and I can redirect them to our new service if we need to switch. It was a way to address my discomfort with URLs that break too easily when you host on 3rd party services.

[bfog]

^^ this. I wrote one for the same reasons. Also for links to internal tools in chat, as it makes for shorter more concise messages.