qoiob blog

How to Open a Home Screen Link Directly in Atomic (or Any Non-Safari Browser)

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:09:39 +0200

iPhone and iPad users who prefer Atomic, or any browser other than Safari, wish they could save bookmarks directly on the Home Screen, like it can be done in Safari, to access web apps and bookmarks directly from a button.

Here is a very simple way to do it, using qoiob, which takes 2 seconds to set up, and works on iPhone and iPad. And no need to jailbreak!

Here is how it works:

(detailed explanations below)

Find an unused shortcut/keyword on qoiob.
In Safari, save this free shortcut (in fact, the error page) on your Home Screen.
Back on the Safari error page, set up this shortcut, using the atomic:// prefix instead of the usual http://
If needed, validate your shortcut.

That’s all. Easy!

Here are the details and explanations:

Using Safari, try a shortcut which is probably not already in use, and type it as a web page to visit. For example: in your URL bar type “http://xoxi.net/instapaper_iphone” (without quotes), and if the shortcut is still not allocated, you will land on an error page that says “this keyword doesn’t exist yet, you can create it”.
This page’s URL will become the shortcut once it will be setup, but for now it’s just an error page, which you can bookmark on your Home Screen. To save it on your Home Screen, tap the button with the arrow (or + sign), and select “Add to Home Screen”.
Now, you have a Safari shortcut leading to an error page. Go straight back to Safari and fill the destination field on the qoiob.com form, with the URL you want to actually direct your shortcut to. For example “http://instapaper.com”. But instead of using “http://”, type “atomic://” as a prefix, so that Safari will know you want to open the link in Atomic Web Browser. In this example, you would enter “atomic://instapaper.com”.
Make sure you are either already logged into your qoiob.com account, or simply enter your email address in the bottom field so that you can validate your shortcut (validating a shortcut only requires one click in an email, and ensures it will never expire).

Once you created the shortcut, your Home Screen bookmark will become a link to Instapaper.com, which will first open for a very short instant with Safari, then automatically redirect to Atomic in a new tab.

Safari will not “remember” this empty opened link. And even better, it will not bypass Atomic’s passcode prompt if it’s set up to ask for it (the link will open normally, after you enter your passcode).

As I’m not sure about the protocols/prefixes for other browsers like Opera or iCab for instance, I’d be grateful if you can send them to me at @ZLOK so that I can update this page with more options. Thank you.

If you want to use the same shortcut on more than one device, you can first save to your Home Screen the same error URL, then create your shortcut on one of the devices, when all are ready.

Note: All available domains can be used both on qoiob.com and cauzes.com. But you can’t use the domains “qoiob.com” and “cauzes.com” themselves, since shortcuts can’t be created with them directly.

By the way, you may be extremely unlucky and someone register your keyword in the time between saving to Home Screen and setting up the qoiob shortcut. If that happens, qoiob will give you an error message that this keyword is already taken. If so, don’t panic: all you have to do is delete the bookmark on your Home Screen and start with a fresh one. Choose a keyword a little bit more complicated so that someone else doesn’t have the same idea as you at the same time.

You can choose a relatively long keyword, to be sure it is not already taken, because once it’s set up, you will not have to remember the shortcut anymore, nor to type it ever again. And if you want to remember it, this link will be visible in your qoiob account’s page.

Hope this help. :)

Comments? Questions? Send them to us at @qoiob_com

Adding Readability To The API

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:29:13 +0200

Sometimes, articles online are interesting, but the layout of the page, its colors, typography, are all wrong. It’s white on black, and the text is tiny for example.

Readability is a nice system that changes the page and makes it more comfortable to read. It’s also very useful for reading texts on mobile devices. One click and all the format is clean and friendly.

We like Readability, and we know our users like it too. So, we made qoiob support this service, by adding a new parameter to the API, for people who want to send links with Readability already embedded in the short URL.

To enable it, you will need to add a new parameter to the endpoint URL call, which should now be formatted like this:

http://qoiob.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::EMAIL||apiKey::KEY||format::txt||readability::1||domain::DOMID||longUrl::LINK

(No space after the “?” or anywhere in the link)

EMAIL is your email address (used as username for login)
KEY is your API key (you can find your API key on your account page)
“format” parameter can output txt, json, or xml
“readability” can be set to 0 (inactive) or 1 (active)
DOMID is the ID of the domain you want to use in the shortened link (see list at http://blog.qoiob.com/post/6174059230/api-domain)
LINK is the final URL destination, usually your endpoint variable

If you don’t want to use it, no need to do anything, and it will simply be ignored.

Note: We didn’t link user databases for cauzes.com and qoiob.com, so you will need to create an account for each if you want to use both. The API works the same on both, just need to change the domain at the beginning of the URL.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

How to define which domain will be used when calling the API?

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:03:00 +0200

If you use Twitter clients like Tweetdeck (click here for setup details) or web based services like dlvr.it for instance, you can use our API to set up automatic shortcuts from your posts, etc. (click here for setup details).

By default, the system will take the first domain name available and assign it to your shortcut. But, if you want to choose your preferred domain name, you need to add one variable in the URL endpoint settings.

The variable to add is “domain::ddd” (without quotes) where ddd is the ID number of the chosen domain. For example, for ✰.ws you would use “domain::2”.

The URL then becomes:
http://qoiob.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::txt||domain::ddd||longUrl::yyy

http://cauzes.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::txt||domain::ddd||longUrl::yyy
(Note: there is no space after the ? or anywhere in the URL)

Here is the list of available on qoiob.com and cauzes.com, and their respective IDs:

qoiob

➪.ws : ID=1
✰.ws : ID=2
ツ.tv : ID=3
⍥.ws : ID=5
▶.ws : ID=6
☎.ws : ID=7
♘.ws : ID=8
♟.ws : ID=9
tcho.net : ID=10
viio.net : ID=11
xoxi.net : ID=4
모.ws : ID=12
ᄒ.ws : ID=13
ж.tv : ID=14

cauzes

☾oe✡is†.ws : ID=1
eatlessmeat.ws : ID=2
freeburma.ws : ID=3
freetibet.ws : ID=4
givetojapan.ch : ID=9
nomoreplastic.ch : ID=8
pastafari.ws : ID=5
renewableenergies.ch : ID=7
stopnuclear.ch : ID=6

We will update this page when we add new domain options.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

Esqueceu sua senha?

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:10:00 +0200

Não é possível entrar em sua conta mais? Não há problema: basta seguir estes passos simples e você acessar a sua conta em nenhum momento.

Ir para a página inicial qoiob.com.
Verifique se você está desconectado (ou seja, “Criar uma conta”é exibida na parte superior).
Crie um redirecionamento de novo, usando o mesmo endereço de email da sua conta existente.
Clique no link de validação contidos no e-mail de verificação.
Você está logado!
Página de sua conta, basta clicar no botão “reset senha ” e criar um novo.

Por que não simplesmente enviar a senha para você?

Devido a sua senha são criptografados com segurança a partir do momento que você criou, e mesmo que quiséssemos, não seria capaz de decifrá-lo.

Comentários? Perguntas? Diga-nos o que você pensa em twitter.com/qoiob_com

Mot de passe oublié?

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:45:00 +0200

Vous ne pouvez plus vous connecter à votre compte? Pas de soucis: suivez simplement ces quelques instructions et vous pourrez vous identifier en un rien de temps.

Allez sur la home page de qoiob.com (ou cauzes.com, si vous venez de là).
Vérifiez bien que vous n’êtes pas identifié (c’est-à-dire “Créer un compte” est affiché tout en haut de la page).
Créez un nouveau lien, en utilisant la même adresse email que celle associée à votre compte.
Cliquez le lien de validation contenu dans l’email de vérification que vous recevez.
Vous êtes identifié!
Une fois sur la page de votre compte, cliquez sur “changer de mot de passe” et créez-en un nouveau.

Pourquoi nous ne vous envoyons pas simplement votre ancien mot de passe par email?

Parce que votre mot de passe est chiffrée de manière sécurisée sur le serveur, dès le moment où vous l’avez créé, et même si nous voulions, nous ne pourrions pas le décrypter.

Commentaires? Questions? Dites-nous tout à twitter.com/qoiob_com

What is Cauzes?

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:23:00 +0200

Unlike other redirection services that make URLs as short as possible, Cauzes offers a new way to create short addresses that also promote a message you believe in.

Not shorter: More meaningful instead

Cauzes lets you embrace and propagate your convictions every time you send or publish a link. Because you don’t always need your short URLs tiny, and you’d rather have them share your values with the world.

Better (user) experience

Created by Swiss studio ZLOK, and powered by qoiob, Cauzes was built with quality and user experience in mind. It uses original new ways to make things simple for the users, but harder for spammers and abusers.

On Cauzes, you don’t need to register an account before you can create a new shorcut. But at the same time, making a new shortcut creates your account automatically, allowing you to track real time stats, etc.

Visit Cauzes now

Questions? Comments?

Tell us what you think (or just say hi) at twitter.com/qoiob_com

How to use qoiob with Tweetdeck?

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:14:00 +0200

Tweetdeck is a popular client for Twitter, which automatically shortens URLs while you are typing tweets. To have it use qoiob for your own shortcuts, simply follow these very easy setup steps.

1. Create your qoiob account.

You must have a qoiob account to get your own personal API key. To create an account, all you need to do is to create your first shortcut on www.qoiob.com and the validation email sent to your address will allow you to access your account page to find your API key (read more about it here).

If you already have an qoiob account, then you already have an API key. Simply login and visit your account page to find it.

2. Set up Tweetdeck

Open the Settings menu in Tweetdeck by clicking the “settings” button, in the top-right corner of the screen.

There you will find a “Services” menu on the left-hand side. Click on it.

Then, select “Other” in the drop-down menu of URLs shorteners.

In the input field “Other URL Shortening Endpoint”, enter the following string, after you replaced “xxx” by your qoiob login email address, and “zzz” by your API key. Variables are separated by ||.

http://qoiob.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::txt||longUrl::%@

(Note: there should be no space after the ? or anywhere else in the string.)

Click the “Save settings” button.

3. Activate auto-shortening in Tweetdeck

With “auto-shortening” enabled in the update window, TweetDeck will automatically shorten any URLs that you type or paste into the update box. If auto-shortening is not yet enabled, turn it on by clicking the button (more about auto-shortening on Tweetdeck’s support site).

Can I choose which domain will be used when new shortcuts are created automatically from the API?
Yes, read this post for more details on how to set the endpoint link.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

QR or not QR?

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:26:29 +0200

Do you use QR codes?

Popular in Japan, and getting some traction in the US (but not so much in Europe, yet), QR codes are those two-dimensional barcodes readable by mobile phones and smartphones. These black dots arranged in a square pattern contain text information such as a URL, and if you scan the one at the top of this post for example, it will return: http://➪.ws

One use of such code is found in print media, where URLs can easily be scanned, allowing readers to access a web address without having to type it manually in their phone. Another use can be desktop websites offering easy direct access to their mobile version, or to a mobile application (iPhone, Android…) download.

A few days ago, Google announced that their shortcut service goo.gl is now available to the general public, for use with any non-Google URL. At the same time, they also made a small — geeky — announcement that if you simply add “.qr” to the end of any goo.gl URL, it will create a QR code that can be scanned to get the URL.

TechCrunch says it is “very useful”, and I am wondering if users really want such a feature, or if it is more a fun gimmick than anything. Of course, it’s “cool”, but is it really “useful”?

The thing is, unlike in Japan, QR readers are still not installed by default on US and European mobile phones. Yes, it is only a clic away for those who want to install one, but “one clic” is still infinitely more than “zero clic”, and for most people it is a hassle to go to the app store and browse through options, when in fact they wanted to be able to save time with a quick scan.

However, once installed it really is fast and easy to use, and if a big retail company started using QR in their marketing campaigns (e.g., “scan the label of your cola and get your next one free”), smartphones owners would start using QR scanners more readily. Chicken and egg.

What’s puzzling is that on principle, a QR code is already a shortcut, and therefore doesn’t need a shortcut (although, the shorter the URL contained, the simpler the code), but it might be useful for some who want the best of both worlds?

Goo.gl didn’t put this feature forward much, they present it as a cool gadget, and they rather insist on how reliable and fast they are. Which is why I am wondering if it is something worth studying, to see what could be done with it, and perhaps incorporate it into qoiob.

What do you think?

Do you have a QR code reader installed on your phone? Do you use it often? Would you use this feature for your own shortcuts?

Piglets and bookmarklets come in 3

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:24:00 +0200

We’re very excited to introduce our new bookmarklets (or piglets, as we affectionately call them) on qoiob today. There are now 3 flavors to choose from.

The first one is still available, and works fine with mobile devices such as the iPhone, where it can even be used as a “normal” bookmark. It captures the address of the page where you are, and takes you to qoiob, where the form is already filled out. It also remembers your preferences from last time, your email address, etc. You don’t need to be signed in to use it.

The second one is faster (and prettier too). When you click it, a little pop-up window opens so you don’t need to leave the page you were on. In that pop-up, you can choose a domain and keyword (optional), then hit enter or click the submit button. It returns the short URL, which is already selected so that you can copy it to your clipboard directly. You must be signed in to install this bookmarklet, but once it’s in your bookmarks bar you don’t need to be signed in to use it.

The third superfast piglet is for those who don’t want to choose a keyword, and want to click less. When you use it, a pop-up window opens with the short URL already created and ready to be copied and shared. As with the other two, it remembers the last domain name you chose. You need to be signed into your account to install it.

The reason why you need to be signed in to see and install the fast and superfast piglets is because they are set to use your account in the background. They are built using the qoiob API, and each user’s code is unique and personal. This way, your shortcuts are stored and linked to your account, even when you’re signed out.

Of course, all three contain direct links to Twitter, Buzz, and Facebook, for easy sharing with a single click.

You can install any or all three piglets in your browser, depending on how you plan to use them. To install a bookmarklet, all you need to do is to click and drag the link to your browser’s bookmarks bar. (More detailed instructions here)

Try them and let us know what you think. We hope you’ll love them as much as we do.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

How to use qoiob on an iPhone?

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:38:00 +0200

(INTERNATIONAL?)

qoiob bookmarklet on iPhone

These instructions will help you make a qoiob bookmarklet on your iPhone, so you can shorten links directly from Safari in one click.

Step 1: Bookmark This Page

Tap the plus button at the bottom of the screen, then select Add Bookmark.

Name your bookmarklet something like “qoiob”, save it in your “Bookmarks” folder, then tap Save.

Step 2: Edit The Bookmark

Copy the link below. To do so, simply tap and keep your finger on the text for a few seconds, then choose “Copy”.

[ Copy the link of this text ]

Tap the Bookmarks button at the bottom of the screen.

Find the bookmark you just made. Tap Edit, then tap on the bookmark itself.

To modify the bookmark URL, tap the URL field (it begins with “http:”), erase all content, then replace it with the text you just copied (just tap once in the empty field and then choose “Paste”).

Then, delete everything that comes before “JavaScript:” (i.e., “http://____”).

The finished URL should look like this:

Step 3: Use The Bookmarklet

First, go to qoiob.com and sign into your account. You will only need to do this once, and the system will remember you next time you visit. (You can log out at any time.)

When you’re surfing the web and want make a shortcut link to share or bookmark for later, just tap the Bookmarks button, then tap “qoiob”. The current link will be sent to qoiob, where you can choose a keyword, and share it on Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

What is my API key? And how to use it?

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:24:00 +0200

On your account page, you’ll find a long string of characters called an “API key”. The acronym “API” stands for “Application Programming Interface”. An API is like a password for a program to access your account on your behalf.

Where is my API key?
To see your API key, you must first log in.

Once signed in, visit your account page (link is in the top-right corner of the window), where you will find the long chain of characters, which is your key.

What is it for?
Your API key allows programs and websites to interact with your qoiob account remotely, without visiting the website. The same way some applications let you access Twitter and Facebook through their API, for example.

How do I use it?
More and more applications are adding qoiob to their services. When one of them asks you for your email address and API key, you can set up their system to use doiop from it. Never share your actual account password.

But remember to only give your API key to well known services and trustable third parties.

How do I get one?
When you sign up for a qoiob account, you are automatically assigned your personal API key. It is then listed on your account page,

Can I share my API key?
No, it’s like a password to your account.
(Unlike your API key, your real account password should NEVER be shared with anyone.)

How to call my API key from an external service?
We tried to keep our API as simple as possible for users. For example, it’s very easy to set up Tweetdeck to automatically use qoiob as your default shortener. Every information needed is contained in one straight-forward URL.

Whenever a web service or app asks you for a “URL Shortening Endpoint”, you can simply enter the following string, after you replaced “xxx” by your qoiob login email address, “zzz” by your qoiob API key, and “yyy” by the “endpoint” given to you by that service to insert the long URL (for example, “%@” or “%URL%”). Variables are separated by ||

http://qoiob.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::txt||longUrl::yyy

http://cauzes.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::txt||longUrl::yyy

(Note: there should be no space after the ? or anywhere else in the string!)

The simple version above just returns text. Some services require other outputs, usually JSON or XML. If so, you can use the following endpoints:

http://qoiob.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::json||longUrl::yyy

http://qoiob.com/api/shorten/?theKitchenSink=login::xxx||apiKey::zzz||format::xml||longUrl::yyy

Can I choose which domain will be used when new shortcuts are created automatically from the API?
Yes, read this post for more details on how to set the endpoint link.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

Forgot your password?

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:33:00 +0200

Can’t log into your account anymore? No problem: just follow these easy steps and you’ll access your account in no time.

Go to the qoiob.com homepage (or cauzes.com, if you are coming from there).
Make sure you are logged out (i.e., “Create an account” is displayed at the top).
Create a new redirection, using the same email address as your existing account.
Click the validation link contained in the verification email.
You’re logged in!
From your account page, simply click the “reset password” link and create a new one.

Why don’t we simply email your password to you?

Because your password is securely encrypted from the moment you created it, and even if we wanted we wouldn’t be able to decipher it.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

How can I create an account?

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:16:00 +0200

Creating a short link automatically also creates your account. Then, all you need to do is to validate it and set your password.

Follow these steps to access your account page:

The email address you enter when you create a new short link becomes your user name. Make sure it is a valid address, and one that you will not forget easily.
When you receive the verification email, click on the validation link to confirm your short link. If you have not set a password yet, you will be prompted to create one so on that page.
Enter your password, then verify it by typing it a second time. Your password must contain at least one letter and at least one number, it must also be at least 8 characters long. Choose something not easy to guess.
If you didn’t set your password this time, don’t worry: you can create one by following the same validation link you found in the verification email. Or you can use the verification email you will receive when you create a new shortcut. Meanwhile, as long as you use the same email address, your shortcuts will wait in your account.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

Why do we ask your email address?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:21:00 +0200

Let’s start by making something very clear first:

WE WILL NOT SPAM YOU.

You hate spam. We hate spam too. We hate people who spam, and we won’t become one of them. (And we won’t sell or give your address to spammers either).

We might have to send you some important announcement sometime, but except for such rare emails, all you can expect to receive from us are the normal shortcut validations, and password recovery messages.

The reason why we need your address is so that the system can identify you. As you noticed, you can make a new shortcut without creating an account. That’s because your email address is your username. This way, when you create a shortcut, you automatically become a member. Using your email address prevents duplicates, and ensures you will remember your account name. Simple.

As the service will evolve, we will introduce tracking, settings, and preferences, which you will be able to enjoy from a single access, so we wanted to make sure your shortcuts are already linked to your account from the very beginning.

And last but not least, by asking your email address we also keep away (real) spammers, the ones who abuse the system and ruin it for everyone, so that you can enjoy the service better.

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

How to install a bookmarklet?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:37:00 +0200

Bookmarklets are buttons that you add to your browser’s Bookmarks Toolbar.

qoiob’s bookmarklet makes it easy and fast to create a shortcut URL, directly from the page you are visiting. You don’t need to go to qoiob to create a shortcut anymore!

There are 3 bookmarklets available, read more about their differences here.

Simply follow the simple instructions below, and start making shortcuts from anywhere on the web.

(If you want to use qoiob on your iPhone, click here)

Google Chrome

Make sure the “Bookmarks Bar” is visible. If it is not, choose “Always show bookmarks bar” from the Tools menu.

Click and drag this link: qoiob shortcut

Safari

Make sure the “Bookmarks Bar” is visible. If it is not, go to the menu View > Show Bookmarks Bar

Click and drag this link: qoiob shortcut

Firefox

Make sure the “Bookmarks Toolbar” is visible. If it is not, go to menu View > Toolbars.

Click and drag this link: qoiob shortcut

Internet Explorer

Make sure your “Links Toolbar” is visible. If it is not, right click on any part of the menu bar and make sure “Links” is checked. Right-click qoiob shortcut and click “Add to Favorites”. Be sure to save the favorite in your “Links” folder so that it appears in your Links Toolbar.

Opera

Make sure the “Personal bar” is checked under View > Toolbars.

Click and drag this link: qoiob shortcut

Comments? Questions? Tell us what you think at twitter.com/qoiob_com

Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:03:00 +0200

TERMS OF USE

Welcome to qoiob. By using the site you signify that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to abide by these or any future Terms of Use, you are not permitted to use or access the site. We reserve the right, in our discretion, to change, modify and delete provisions of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy at any time. Your continued use of the site after such notice constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms of Use or Privacy Policy.

Links and References

This site may contains links to websites owned and operated by unrelated parties. These links are provided for your convenience and reference only. We do not control these sites and are not responsible for their contents. Our inclusion of these links does not imply any association with these sites or any endorsement or approval of contents available from these sites.

This site may also contain descriptions or comments. These references do not imply our opinion or endorsement. Under no circumstances shall any of our providers be liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on information obtained from the site. You are responsible to evaluate any content available on the site.

If you decide to access these third-party sites, you do so at your own risk. We encourage that you review the terms of use and privacy policies of these sites.

Fair use of the service

You agree that you will not do or permit to be done through your account any of the following:

use of links in unsolicited advertising including but not limited to email, instant messenging, and forum posts (spam);
link to any malicious content or computer code, including but not limited to phishing sites or malware (viruses, worms, trojan horses);
link to any objectionable material, including but not limited to libelous, defamatory, child pornography, harassing content;
link to other sites that also offer URL shortening/redirection;
violate or infringe the copyrights, rights of privacy or publicity, or any other rights of any person;
use automated scripts, spiders, bots or similar means to harvest or collect member information or other information from the site;
use the site in a manner that could damage, disable or overburden the site;
provide inaccurate or misleading information in your member profile;
any other use which is illegal in your area.

If you believe that any of the content or materials appearing on this site is related to illegal activities, please contact us.

We reserve the right to remove any shortened URLs which we deem to have violated our terms and conditions, or that we believe violate the spirit of our terms or of fair usage, at our discretion. We may report illegal activities to the relevant governmental or law enforcement agencies, including relevant information such as the IP address of the link creator. We also reserve the right to block any abusers from using our service in future.

Excessive usage

We ask that you limit usage of our service to “reasonable” levels. You agree to not undertake usage so heavy that it may cause service issues for other users. We reserve the right to remove shortened URLs from our service and/or block the abuser from our service temporarily or permanently when usage exceeds levels we consider reasonable.

Copyright

You acknowledge that we own all rights, title and interest in all content on the site, including but not limited to the site’s design, text, graphics and files, and their selection and arrangement, and you agree not to modify, copy, distribute, frame, republish, display, post, transmit, or sell the content, except as may be expressly permitted by us. You may download and print reasonable portions of the content, solely for your personal, non-commercial use, provided that you leave intact all copyright notices and identifying information appearing on the original. You may not republish site content on any other website or business network or incorporate the information into any database or compilation. Any unauthorized use of the content is prohibited. All trademarks and logos on site may not be copied, imitated, or used, in whole or in part, without written permission.

Liability

We are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate content posted on the site regardless of the cause or source, or for the conduct, online or offline, of any member or other user of the site. Without limiting the above, we assume no responsibility for:

any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay, communications failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, user or member postings or communications;
the accuracy, integrity, completeness, or quality of any information, outputs or content available from or through the site; rather, responsibility for verification resides with the user of the information, output or content.
problems with telephone lines, computer systems, third party providers, or any technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or any website;
injury or damage to users’, members’ or other persons’ computers or networks resulting from participating or downloading materials in connection with the site;

This service carries no warranty of any kind. We are not liable for any loss or problem you might suffer due to using the service. This includes losses in the event that the service stops operating, is unavailable or slow, suffers data loss, or any other issue which might be considered detrimental to you.

Under no circumstances will we be responsible for any loss or damage incurred or resulting from anyone’s use, including your use, of the site, any content posted on the site or communicated to members, or any interactions between users of the site, online or offline. THE SITE AND CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND WE DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

IN NO EVENT WILL WE BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS AND LOST DATA), OR FOR ANY DAMAGES, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SITE, REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) AND EVEN IF WE WERE AWARE THAT SUCH DAMAGES MIGHT OCCUR.

You agree to indemnify and hold us and our subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, partners and employees harmless from any damage, liability, claim, or expense (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or in connection with your use of the site, your violation of these Terms of Use, or your violation of the rights of a third party or any law.

If there is any dispute about or involving the site, you agree that the dispute will be governed by the laws of Switzerland.

_________

PRIVACY

We take your personal privacy very seriously. Like most website operators, we collect non-personally-identifying information such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visit. From time to time, we may release non-personally-identifying information, e.g., as public statistics and trends of the most popular links on the site. We may display this information publicly or provide it to others.

Unless expressly specified, URLs shortened by our website are not private and should not be treated as such. Third parties could easily guess the short URL that you are using, so you should not use this service to link to sensitive or secure data.

We cannot be responsible for the privacy practices of other sites, including those to which we link or whose products or services we reference. We encourage you to read the terms of use and privacy statements of each web site you visit.

Cookies

A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website when the visitor returns. This service uses cookies to help provide a better experience to users, and store their usage preferences. Visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using the website, with the drawback that certain features may not be available.

Personally-Identifying Information

Certain interactions with the service require the gathering of personally-identifying information. For example, visitors who sign up for an account must provide a valid email address. Visitors can refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the drawback that certain features may not be available.

We may disclose potentially personally-identifying information to those of our employees, contractors and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on our behalf or to provide services available on the website, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. By using this website, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. We will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying information to anyone.

We may disclose potentially personally-identifying information when required by law, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect our property or rights, those of third parties or the public at large.

If you are a registered user and have supplied your email address, we may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new features, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with our products. We will keep this type of email to a minimum. If you contact us, we reserve the right to publish your message in order to help support other users.

We take all measures reasonably necessary to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration or destruction of potentially personally-identifying information. However, if any of our products is sold to a new owner, whether by merger, stock sale, asset sale or other means, we retain the right to transfer your profile, site data and all other content, data and information to this new owner, provided the owner agrees to respect the Privacy Policy in effect with respect to this personal data.