# urls and links and... **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 31, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538 "2017-07-31T21:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/21 "2017-08-02T04:56:19Z")
I was under the impression that the board software (separate from any vegetable link stuff) turned anything looking like a link into a link upon submit. Is this not so? In this thread as I see it, NONE of those [gardenweb.com](http://gardenweb.com) links are actual clickable links. But what if I type: [www.gardenweb.com](http://www.gardenweb.com) – does that become a clickable link? Let’s find out. . . Results as seen upon preview: (1) No, [gardenweb.com](http://gardenweb.com) does NOT become a link, but… (2) Yes, [www.gardenweb.com](http://www.gardenweb.com) DOES become a link. Conclusion: As far as the vBulletin software is concerned, the link must begin with www to be recognized as a link and turned into one. I presume this is vBulletin at work, and not viglink. To make it NOT be a link on a one-time basis, surround it with: [noparse][noparse]…[/noparse][/noparse] tags, as **Inner Stickler** notes in Post #3. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/22 "2017-08-02T07:13:05Z")
Both were clickable links for me (iPad). When I get into work this morning I’ll check on a PC. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/23 "2017-08-02T07:26:36Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > All the links in this thread are clickable on my Mac with Chrome / Safari. How does one disable viglink? [http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/](http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/) As noted, [gardenweb.com](http://gardenweb.com) isn’t clickable on my device. I tested it on Android Chrome with no adblocker running and Viglink enabled. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/24 "2017-08-02T07:48:28Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It’s right there in post #2. Hence “don’t forget about.” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/25 "2017-08-02T10:39:55Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > [http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/](http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/) > > As noted, [gardenweb.com](http://gardenweb.com) isn’t clickable on my device. I tested it on Android Chrome with no adblocker running and Viglink enabled. Ok, for me, if I disable Viglink then the links are not clickable anymore, so in my case it is Viglink that is doing it. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/26 "2017-08-02T13:38:23Z")
[noparse][/noparse]StraightDope[dot]com[noparse][/noparse] Opps, what did I do wrong … [noparse][/noparse]StraightDope.com[noparse][/noparse] Crap … the [noparse] only not parses the parsable parsing parsally … StraightDope[dot]com Too parsing early in the morning … [StraightDope.com](http://StraightDope.com) Yeah, it’s a Mac thing … Firefox on El Capitan, Adblocker installed … ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/27 "2017-08-02T14:19:53Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > And, yep. On a PC none of the links are live. Made it to work- I’m on a PC and all the links are live for me. I’m using Chrome as my browser. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/28 "2017-08-02T14:37:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Hence “don’t forget about.” Thank you for reminding us. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/29 "2017-08-02T15:11:28Z")
As long as we’re reminding people of stuff, don’t forget that Viglink automatically turns URLs into it’s own links and overrides board software. The only way to stop it is to use Viglink’s official opt-out page or an ad-blocker. Which really sucks. But I thought I should remind everyone in case they forgot. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/30 "2017-08-02T15:28:51Z")
I was getting links, so I disabled Vigilink and now I don’t. What I want to know is how does it work? If it’s to work on all sites, it must be on my computer. But it didn’t seem to install like a Firefox add-in. If I use IE would it still be disabled? The Wiki page is all about how wonderful it is for a site. No mention at all about how it works. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/31 "2017-08-02T16:14:02Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > I was getting links, so I disabled Vigilink and now I don’t. What I want to know is how does it work? If it’s to work on all sites, it must be on my computer. But it didn’t seem to install like a Firefox add-in. If I use IE would it still be disabled? > > The Wiki page is all about how wonderful it is for a site. No mention at all about how it works. Viglink’s “magic” is javascript uploaded to your browser to identify link-a-fyiable text on the document (the web page you’re looking at) and convert them to live links. All in your browser, between when the page is loaded into your browser’s memory and when it’s presented to you. Viglink subscribers (like SDMB) are given a little library of stuff for their web servers that get uploaded as part of page composition and enables the Viglink voodoo. For this, subscribers are amply recompensed (I’d guess on the order of DOZENS of CENTS per page) and users get borderline malware behavior Everyone who matters wins! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/32 "2017-08-02T18:46:19Z")
Are you trying to do this? Straightdope.com. Use the globe with a link icon just above the reply box. Click it and paste your link in it. If you want to post an identifier, then highlight the text between the url tags and type your identifier in like this. Straight Dope main page ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/33 "2017-08-02T19:09:06Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Viglink’s “magic” is javascript uploaded to your browser to identify link-a-fyiable text on the document (the web page you’re looking at) and convert them to live links. All in your browser, between when the page is loaded into your browser’s memory and when it’s presented to you. Thanks. That I guessed. My real question was on my end. Given that I’ve now opted out of Vigilink, that information (that I’ve opted out) must be stored someplace. And I’d think it must be stored on my computer otherwise I’d have to disable it for each site. But I don’t know another site to test to see if this is so. So is my opt-out a cookie? an add-in? what? I didn’t see an add-in asking for permission. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/34 "2017-08-02T19:31:38Z")
NM. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/35 "2017-08-02T19:40:05Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > [noparse][/noparse]StraightDope[dot]com[noparse][/noparse] > > Opps, what did I do wrong … > > [noparse][/noparse]StraightDope.com[noparse][/noparse] > > Crap … the [noparse] only not parses the parsable parsing parsally … > > StraightDope[dot]com > > Too parsing early in the morning … > > [StraightDope.com](http://StraightDope.com) > > Yeah, it’s a Mac thing … Firefox on El Capitan, Adblocker installed … > [@cochrane](#): > > Are you trying to do this? > > Straightdope.com. > > Use the globe with a link icon just above the reply box. Click it and paste your link in it. If you want to post an identifier, then highlight the text between the url tags and type your identifier in like this. > > Straight Dope main page This was for watchwolf49, BTW. I had neglected to quote him in my reply. And apparently, his no parse tags are disabling the formatting in my reply, but there’s nothing I can do about that, since I can’t alter his quote. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/36 "2017-08-02T19:50:17Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > [noparse][/noparse]StraightDope[dot]com[noparse][/noparse] > > Opps, what did I do wrong … > > [noparse][/noparse]StraightDope.com[noparse][/noparse] > > Crap … the noparse only not parses the parsable parsing parsally … > > StraightDope[dot]com > > Too parsing early in the morning … > > [StraightDope.com](http://StraightDope.com) > > Yeah, it’s a Mac thing … Firefox on El Capitan, Adblocker installed … I deleted the square brackets around the `noparse` in my fourth line … the text was treated as an opening tag without it’s ending tag … throwing a rather unusual error … my fault … ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/37 "2017-08-02T20:22:29Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Ok, for me, if I disable Viglink then the links are not clickable anymore, so in my case it is Viglink that is doing it. Same for me. “[gardenweb.com](http://gardenweb.com)” in the OP isn’t clickable on my tablet where I have to have Javascript disabled to be able to browse the SDMB at all without going insane since ad blocking isn’t possible there. But it’s clickable on my laptop with Firefox and Adblocker, and copying the link reveals that it’s the Viglink mess. Viglink is the malware in this case. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/38 "2017-08-02T21:58:11Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Thanks. That I guessed. My real question was on my end. Given that I’ve now opted out of Vigilink, that information (that I’ve opted out) must be stored someplace. And I’d think it must be stored on my computer otherwise I’d have to disable it for each site. But I don’t know another site to test to see if this is so. So is my opt-out a cookie? an add-in? what? I didn’t see an add-in asking for permission. Last I looked into it, it’s a cookie. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/39 "2017-08-03T03:10:32Z")
FWIW, I’m on a PC, using Firefox with an adblocker installed. All underlined links on this page are live for me (i.e., they take me to that site). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538/40 "2017-08-03T03:53:15Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > FWIW, I’m on a PC, using Firefox with an adblocker installed. All underlined links on this page are live for me (i.e., they take me to that site). Ad blockers typically do not block viglink by default. You can add [viglink.com](http://viglink.com) to your ad blocker’s list if you want to block viglink. Alternately, since viglink works via javascript, you can also use a script blocker to kill it. And as a third alternative, you can use the opt out link upthread (see **cochrane** ’s post). Or, you can just leave it and let it do its thing. Personally, I think viglink is the spawn of Satan and needs to be banished forever into the fiery depths of Hell, but some folks don’t have quite the same bad opinion of it. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urls-and-links-and/792538.md?page=3)