WordPress.com offsite redirects

There are too many pieces of software and web services that rely on a deliberate lack of interoperability to lock in users and boost profits. While it may be better for companies when people are forced to use operating X, software Y, and website Z, it is usually better for users if they can use any combination that suits their purposes. Apple is particularly notorious, when it comes to locking things down and sabotaging their own products.

One welcome exception is the new link forwarding service on WordPress.com. One early choice faced by bloggers is whether to use free hosting on a site like WordPress.com or whether to get their own hosting account. The former is cheaper and easier, while the latter allows many more possibilities. Now, users on WordPress.com who decide that they want the added power that comes with private hosting can move in a way that preserves all their old URLs and avoids exposing visitors to error 404 pages.

The service costs $15 per year and uses 301 permanent redirects. That means Google and company will figure out the new addresses for your content, avoiding the need to keep paying WordPress indefinitely.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan