Technology Tips: Create a TinyURL

Make sure you do the GoogleDocs Tech Tip first, before you do any other tips this semester.

You're probably aware that some webpage addresses are nice and short, like http://www.ou.edu, for example - but other addresses are incredibly long, like this one:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=google+maps+boyd+and+elm+norman+ok&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=W+Boyd+St+%26+Elm+Ave,+Norman,+OK+73019&gl=us&ei=jGssTeiAF4-u8AbCsMyRCg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q8gEwAA

Long URL's are really difficult to work with. If you cut-and-paste them into an email, some email programs will "break" the link because it is so long. If you cut-and-paste them into a webpage program, you can easily leave out part of the link without realizing it.

So, here comes TinyURL.com to the rescue! This is a website where you can paste a long URL, and they will give you a tiny URL that you can use instead to achieve the same result. There are other URL-shortening services too, such as Bit.ly; for the purposes of this assignment, you can use any URL-shortener that you want!

For your assignment, you need to take the web address for any webpage (it does not have to be a long on), and shortened the address, using TinyURL or any other URL shortening service.

When you are done, cut and paste the TinyURL link into an email and send it to the instructor. Make sure you use this subject line for the email: TechTip TinyURL.

When you have sent in the email, you can enter this tip on your GoogleDocs Checklist and then do the Gradebook Declaration for Extra Credit. Here is the text of the Gradebook Declaration you will complete: