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I would like site specific magic links.

Currently you can write [so] in a comment, and it links like this: Stack Overflow.

I would like to be able to have site specific ones, so for example:

English Language & Usage

  • [dictionary] would go to http://dictionary.com and shows as Dictionary.com

Ubuntu

Ask Different

  • [applesup] would go to http://www.apple.com/support and shows as Apple Support

Christianity

  • [bible] would go to http://biblegateway.com and shows as Bible Gateway

Currently, they are all the same, for all sites. I would like devs (mods maybe) to be able to add them on a per site basis.

This is just a selection of examples. People can comment or answer with ones they would like and I'll edit them into this question.

I asked this because the question on Ask Ubuntu Meta wasn't possible right now - because it wasn't a feature.

[The devs] said right now it isn't possible because magic links are network wide, and they weren't sure it was high enough priority to really get done anytime soon, but if you want you can post a feature-request on Meta Stack Exchange requesting site specific magic links and see if you can garner more support for the feature and maybe get a dev to champion it.

So that's what I've done!

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11
  • This list could be endless.......... But anyway, quite a good idea.
    – nicael
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:03
  • 4
    Mods maybe, definitely not 10ks
    – Kevin
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:06
  • I think this is a good idea, there are a few things I find myself linking to over and over again on some sites. I think only SE staff should be able to add them though, otherwise I am afraid the feature might be abused.
    – ɥʇǝS
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:06
  • 2
    Site-specific magic links are a horrible idea because they make all the sites inconsistent. ... "Why doesn't this work?" - "Because it only works on site x." ... If it's not a global magic link, it shouldn't exist at all.
    – animuson StaffMod
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:06
  • @animuson what other site would need Ubuntu's? Maybe U&L add them too. There is no need for SO to have Bible Gateway, so no one will mis it...
    – Tim
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:07
  • @nicael yep :) That's what I found on AU! But I think it would be good...
    – Tim
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:09
  • 5
    PPCG: [sandbox]
    – John Dvorak
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:17
  • 4
    @animuson the same argument goes against MathJAX
    – John Dvorak
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:35
  • @Jan ? What's PPCG? :/
    – Tim
    Dec 5, 2014 at 21:17
  • Code Golf (filler)
    – ɥʇǝS
    Dec 7, 2014 at 16:49
  • Related (canonical. The site-wide list): Add data.SE style "magic links" to comments (covers magic links in both questions/answers, comments, and chat).
    – This_is_NOT_a_forum
    Dec 15, 2022 at 20:33

2 Answers 2

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+25

I think this is unnecessary and will be too much work to implement custom per-site magic-links.

On Mi Yodeya, we like to link to sources for stuff, much like many of these proposed magic links. A year and a half ago, one of the former mods (HodofHod) put together the "Mi Yodeya Referencer". It's a userscript that implements these "magic links" for Mi Yodeya.

This is a good solution because it requires no work on the part of the staff; it's community-driven, which also means it's much easier to get updates (new links); and it also works in answers!

The script is open-source -- feel free to adapt it to suit your own community's needs.

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1
  • 3
    I want to upvote because of the user script, but down because I disagree that it's unnecessary... :/
    – Tim
    Dec 13, 2014 at 21:28
1

I'd like to propose two additions for Ask Ubuntu:

  • [application:xxx] goes to https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/xxx
  • [man:xxx] goes to http://manpages.ubuntu.com/xxx
    (Unix.SE may benefit from this one as well)

Also, the example for PPAs you provided just links to the user page and not the PPA. Therefore I suggest:

  • [lp:xxx] goes to https://launchpad.net/xxx
  • [ppa:xxx/yyy] goes to https://launchpad.net/~xxx/+archive/yyy
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3
  • I think we can work out actual links once the feature is implemented ;-)
    – ɥʇǝS
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:45
  • Won't the actual links be needed in order to implement it?
    – uɐɯsO uɐɥʇɐN
    Dec 5, 2014 at 19:46
  • 1
    No, this feature request is just the ability to have site specific links... They can ask when/if it is completed what we want.
    – Tim
    Dec 5, 2014 at 21:15

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