# Changing links?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [October 23, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555 "2015-10-23T17:19:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/1 "2015-10-23T17:19:36Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18795486&postcount=1) I put a link to a product on Amazon. This morning I noticed that I had not followed the link, which I knew I had because I checked it on preview. So I clicked on it today, and it’s a link to the same product on Wal-Mart’s website.
I know I used the Amazon link because it was two a package of six of the items and I thought, ‘I don’t need to find a link for a single packet. I’m just showing the product.’ Also, I don’t shop at Wal-Mart and wouldn’t have chosen a Wal-Mart link. There’s nothing indicating the thread had been edited.
So why did the link change?
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/2 "2015-10-23T17:23:03Z")
Went to Amazon for me.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/3 "2015-10-23T17:30:41Z")
Amazon for me, too.
You might want to clear your browser cache.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/4 "2015-10-23T17:41:46Z")
Weird. I logged out of SDMB and clear cookies for straightdope and walmart. I’m still getting a Wal-Mart link in the thread.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/5 "2015-10-23T18:03:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Weird. I logged out of SDMB and clear cookies for straightdope and walmart. I’m still getting a Wal-Mart link in the thread.
But did you clear the browser cache?
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### Author:  [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/6 "2015-10-23T18:25:49Z")
That is freaky if that’s really happening to you.
What is the URL you get when you hover over the link?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/7 "2015-10-23T18:26:59Z")
I deleted the cookies for straightdope and walmart. This time I closed my browser afterward. I went to the thread and on mouseover I saw that the link was pointing to [amazon.com](http://amazon.com). When I clicked on it, the URL box on the browser said about:blank and there was a blank page, then it went to the Wal-Mart page.
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### Author:  [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/8 "2015-10-23T18:43:29Z")
Maybe it’s viglink?
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### Author:  [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/9 "2015-10-23T18:46:02Z")
Amazon for me as well (using Firefox 41.0.2 on Linux in case it matters).
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/10 "2015-10-23T18:51:13Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I deleted the cookies for straightdope and walmart. This time I closed my browser afterward. I went to the thread and on mouseover I saw that the link was pointing to [amazon.com](http://amazon.com). When I clicked on it, the URL box on the browser said about:blank and there was a blank page, then it went to the Wal-Mart page.
Evidently you have been assimilated.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/11 "2015-10-23T19:04:27Z")
It goes to Amazon for me, too. To repeat what **Duckster** said: did you clear your browser cache? It’s different from clearing your cookies.
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### Author:  [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/12 "2015-10-23T19:12:27Z")
It also goes to Amazon for me. I suggest throwing your computer away.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/13 "2015-10-23T19:12:46Z")
> [@cochrane](#):
>
> It goes to Amazon for me, too. To repeat what **Duckster** said: did you clear your browser cache? It’s different from clearing your cookies.
Normally clearing the cookies does the trick when something is wonky. I don’t like clearing the cache because I use different usernames and passwords for _everything_ and it would be problematic logging into certain sites. Is there a way to ‘surgically remove’ things?
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/14 "2015-10-23T19:18:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Normally clearing the cookies does the trick when something is wonky. I don’t like clearing the cache because I use different usernames and passwords for _everything_ and it would be problematic logging into certain sites. Is there a way to ‘surgically remove’ things?
I think you might be a bit confused. Sites remember your logins by leaving cookies. They’re stored differently from sites in your cache. Clearing your cache usually fixes any wonkiness with your browser.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/15 "2015-10-23T19:22:04Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Normally clearing the cookies does the trick when something is wonky. I don’t like clearing the cache because I use different usernames and passwords for _everything_ and it would be problematic logging into certain sites. Is there a way to ‘surgically remove’ things?
Clearing the browser cache has nothing to do with usernames and cookies.
See [9 Ways to Clear Your Browser Cache: Chrome, Safari, & More](http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser's-Cache)
You can also do a browser deep refresh when you are on the web page with the suspect link. Depending upon your O/S, try this key combination:
[ul]
[li]Windows \-\[/li][li]Mac/Apple: Apple + R or command + R[/li][li]Linux: F5[/li][/ul]
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/16 "2015-10-23T19:25:03Z")
Difference between cache and cookies:
> [@](#):
>
> Although cookies and cache are two ways to store data on client’s machine, they serve different purposes.
>
> Cookie is used to store information to track different characteristics related to user, while cache is used to make the loading of web pages faster.
>
> Cookies stores information such as user preferences, while cache will keep resource files such as audio, video or flash files.
>
> Typically, cookies expire after some time, but cache is kept in the client’s machine until they are removed manually by the user.
[http://www.techcuriosity.com/resources/difference\_between/difference\_between\_cache\_and\_cookies.php](http://www.techcuriosity.com/resources/difference_between/difference_between_cache_and_cookies.php)
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/17 "2015-10-23T19:32:00Z")
OK, I went to the Develop drop-down menu and selected Empty Caches.
On mouseover in the thread, it still points to walmart.
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/18 "2015-10-23T20:24:36Z")
Amazon for me using IE.
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### Author:  [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/19 "2015-10-23T20:26:25Z")
Open the dope in another browser and see where your link takes you. That will determine if the problem is with your browser or something bigger.
Goes to Amazon for me.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-links/735555/20 "2015-10-23T20:29:32Z")
Wouldn’t be surprised if you have a browser hijacker
Paste the link you end up at on the Wal Mart site. A hijacker might take all retail links and send you to Wal Mart using their affiliate code and then get money if you buy.
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