Re: URL Shortening
But I’d argue that it is in fact very very pretty — it’s SEMANTIC. By reading the URL, you get an idea of the structure of the site and the nature of the page you’ll end up at. That’s exactly the optimal outcome!
Something like http://dum.as/Sx93ldlj434 (and equally, something like, say http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-10406015-82.html?tag=TOCmoreStories.0) tell you precisely nothing, and that is the height of ugliness.