Display issues - oversize images and excessively long links

I view permies from two devices - a large screen desktop and an ipad - and have noticed a number of threads made nearly unreadable by display problems. These seem to be caused by massive links that stretch the page way off to the right requiring lots of scrolling.

This is really really easy to avoid by using the "URL" button at the top of the post, rather than simply pasting the whole url in the text of the post.

I haven't been around here very long, but in other forums we all helped each other out by showing people how to do this - sometimes moderators stepped in and corrected some links too. In the interests of keeping things readable perhaps we could do the same here?

I'll post a detailed 'how to' after this.

Mike

Want to post a pretty link?

Which looks nicer on the eye?
Google or http://www.google.com ?

Clearly the first, as it looks cleaner and doesn't have all the extra "www" business. You can also customise what the text says to make it easier for people to tell what the link is pointing to.

Additionally, really long links break the layout of the page for many people making it much harder to read your post, and any others in the thread. A really long link makes the page stretch to the right, so people have to keep scrolling back and forward to read each line.

How to post a pretty link

First find the page you want to link to in your web browser

Then highlight the link address and copy it

In your forum post ensure the cursor is where you want the pretty link to appear

in the row of buttons above the text box click URL

In the first box paste the link

In the second box to appear type in your 'pretty' description for the link. eg 'Video on chicken tractors'

The last thing you should probably do is click the link to make sure it has all worked properly.

I hope that is of some help to people!
Mike

Thanks Michael , that's awesome:)
It would be great if people could bump useful threads like this when they come across them.
It doesn't need to be an actual reply. 'Bump' is the standard internetty thing to put in if you want to move a thread to the top of the list, and don't have a comment.
We find that members notice threads like this more than a 'sticky' thread from staff that quickly becomes kind of invisible.

bump