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A user named SS64 is editing several links to the (really good resource) site ss64.com on various posts, changing the path from https://ss64.com/osx/... to https://ss64.com/mac/...

The old ../osx/... URLs still work, so I've declined several of the edits for not being a change. However, as this may be some legit representative of that site, I want to give them opportunity to let us know whether this is an intentional and valid change to support planned changes to SS64.com.

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    I'm guessing it's just future proofing. The /osx links auto-redirect to /mac, so at the very least the benefit is saving a redirect. But if there are lots of links it would save a lot of of time to have them updated by the bulk replacement tool that CMs have access to, rather than manually editing them. (I believe the threshold for using the tool is 50 potential replacements)
    – Robotnik
    Commented Jan 17 at 23:31
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    Maybe if a mod could tag this as status-review it would bring it to the attention of the powers that be, to consider. There are probably links on AD & SO too, so it needs someone with a global overview.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Jan 19 at 19:05
  • Can this bulk replacement tool automatically update each URL to the one it redirects to, or does this have to be a simple change like /osx/ to /mac/? I ask because I've done a lot of URL update edits, typically where a docs.microsoft.com (or other subdomain) URL redirected to a learn.microsoft.com URL. My reasoning is that a redirecting link today might be a broken one tomorrow, and there have been MS links in the past which have become broken after site rearrangements. But if there's an automated tool that could do all this site-wide...
    – AJM
    Commented Jan 22 at 14:35
  • I don't think it's automatic.
    – music2myear
    Commented Jan 22 at 15:08
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    I'm wondering if this should be raised on main Meta to draw attention to the proposed fix method. As it's bound to relate to more than one stack, it would seem appropriate.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Jan 23 at 13:46
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    SS64's a pretty important resource for command line help IIRC. And yeah, the dev/cm tool for mass replacements is probably the better option
    – Journeyman Geek Mod
    Commented Jan 25 at 14:21

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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UPDATE: After revisiting this question and experimenting with inputs into the bulk replacement tool, I found a total of 52 instances of the /osx/ URL on Super User.

So good news, that means I can request the bulk replacement action from the development team (CM access to the tool is only for queries). That's been submitted and I'll update this post when the changes have been completed.

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Yes, I do run SS64.com. I moved the pages to live under /mac as a better representation of the OS name now that it is no longer called OS X.

There is a redirect in place, but editing the links on Stack Overflow will allow them to go direct to the canonical URL.

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    First, cool. Second, thanks! Your site has been a help to me for many years through my stages of tech involvement. The moderators should be able to use their bulk tool to update all of the ss64 links without you (or me) having to find and modify each individually.
    – music2myear
    Commented Jan 18 at 14:40
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    I'd like to add my thanks as well - SS64 is one of the most useful, helpful sites out there!
    – AJM
    Commented Jan 23 at 11:27
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    I'm another user who has bookmarked SS64, and often link to it in answers that I post here in Super User and Stack Overflow. Thank you for a most excellent resource.
    – Jeff Zeitlin
    Commented Jan 23 at 16:23
  • Giacomo1968, if you wish to have the URL changes made on other sites with a notable number of instances (reference my answer), it would be best to post on those sites' Metas to propose the mass replacement. Feel free to link to this post. To get a full list of all instances across the network, you can use the contact form and we can send you that (also reference this post, in that case).
    – Berthold StaffMod
    Commented May 8 at 21:26
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I'm a Community Manager following up on this request. There are 34 instances of the /osx/ URL on Super User. Typically we don't send replacement requests to developers unless there are 50 or more instances, since below that it's a manageable amount of manual editing.

I'm happy to list out the specific URLs here, or elsewhere if something else makes more sense. Let me know what is best.

It's worth noting that there are notable (more than 1) instances on the following sites:

  • Stack Overflow (147)
  • Ask Different (118)
  • Unix & Linux (30)

I'm open to approaching those three communities on their Metas and proposing the replacements. I'd refer to this post in such a message. If we did at least one of the other sites, I can request the change from developers for the bulk update. Let me know if this is something I should proceed with.

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    I think it makes sense to tackle this cross-site for the whole network - get them all updated at once. You mention those 3 sites have notable amounts of the links. I assume that means there's a few sites with 1 or 2 links as well?
    – Robotnik
    Commented Feb 27 at 3:53
  • @Robotnik There are 11 other sites that have just 1 instance. Then the next lowest count was Unix & Linux with 30.
    – Berthold StaffMod
    Commented Feb 27 at 18:52
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I've run the bulk replacement on Super User, replacing 52 instances (the 34 count mentioned at some point was due to the inclusion of https in our query, as some are http - both work fine so osx has been changed to mac on all).

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