rx2800 i2 service & install guides

[Maureen Rakel]

Updated: HP Integrity rx2800 i2 Server User Service Guide http://bit.ly/o518YU and Server Installation Guide http://bit.ly/oA44uo

[James R. Ferguson]

Maureen:

What's with the short and cryptic URLs?  They resolve to the new standard "c12345678" cataloging that HP has come to ubiquitously use, so why not post *those*.  You may recall that earlier this week I berated those names in favor of the older, descriptive URLs.  Why this further indirection and loss of valuable metadata?

Regards!

...JRF...

[Maureen Rakel]

Hi James,

I'm using the short urls to track hits, but also to make it quicker for me to update this forum with the same posts I make on the HP_UX_Docs twitter account. Maintaining social media is in addition to the writing I do, so making the posting quicker serves us all (I'm able to actually work in the postings with my day job).

Is there valuable information in the long link? ex: http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02621030/c02621030.pdf

[James R. Ferguson]

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@Maureen Rakel wrote:

Is there valuable information in the long link? ex: http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02621030/c02621030.pdf

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No, not the metadata that used to exist in the old 'docs.hp.com' world, though even this is less annyoing then the abbreviated URL.  For example, here's the URL from the "Way-Back" machine once captured for my favorite 'stat()' manpage:

http://web.archive.org/web/20060518021944/http://docs.hp.com/en/B2355-60105/stat.2.html

My point is that it is very clear that this is a document describing the 'stat(2)' system call.  That's nice metadata and if I was reading a user post and the OP cited that URL, I know without even clicking the link what to expect.  This tells me whether or not I want to follow the link immediately or continue reading the OP's post.

Now this may seem pedantic to some, but I assure you it's not.

My question remains, why has HP made cryptic URLs from what could be more meta-rich ones?

Regards!

...JRF...

[Maureen Rakel]

Ah, I see.  I did forward your suggestion from your earlier post:

"It would be nice to give document URLs some meaningful name as in the past.  Base names like "c01234567" are meaningless.  Metadata is always useful."

I'll forward your post below, too.  Be assured I will advocate the customer point of view :)

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again) Maureen:

Thank you for passing this foward.

Regards!

...JRF...