User (writer) enters a URL when typing a message/post
Another User (reader) goes to read the post and tries to open the URL link
Expected:
The URL will be clickable by the reader of the message/post
Actual:
Unless the writer has linkified the URL, it is not clickable by the reader
This is a major usability barrier as
1) basic or casual users will not understand or know they need to linkify links
2) other writing, messaging , posting software automatically linkifies links, that is the User's legitimate expectation
3) unless a User is writing a careful post with labelling of links, the linkifying process is unnecessary and time-consuming
Proposed:
URLs should be automatically linkified
If a User wishes to manually linkify (for example to add a title to the link) they can still do so manually by selecting the text and clicking the link icon, as before
User (writer) enters a URL when typing a message/post Another User (reader) goes to read the post and tries to open the URL link
Expected: The URL will be clickable by the reader of the message/post
Actual: Unless the writer has linkified the URL, it is not clickable by the reader
This is a major usability barrier as 1) basic or casual users will not understand or know they need to linkify links 2) other writing, messaging , posting software automatically linkifies links, that is the User's legitimate expectation 3) unless a User is writing a careful post with labelling of links, the linkifying process is unnecessary and time-consuming
Proposed:
URLs should be automatically linkified
If a User wishes to manually linkify (for example to add a title to the link) they can still do so manually by selecting the text and clicking the link icon, as before