DOMAIN CHANGE AFTER 26-08-15 18:00 UTC

[rdearman]

Hello All,

Sometime after 6pm UK time on the 26th of August, I will migrate the domain http://how-to-learn-any-language.org to
http://forum.language-learners.org/

If you access the new URL before this time, you'll just see a maintenace page (so don't bother) and after that time, depending on how long it takes me to migrate, everything should work as advertised on the new name. As soon as I've moved everything, I will redirect the HTLAL.org URL to there permanently. This should be appear seamlessly for you the user, except for perhaps an hours downtime in the worst case.

You'll notice that the domain name is a subdomain of the primary domain http://language-learners.org called forum. Why is this? The reason is because we read all of the suggestions for additional content, static content and other things which you've all suggested as a community which you thought could contribute to the new and improved forum. Therefore we've reserved the top level of the domain for static content which will become the landing pages of new users who are searching for help with learning new languages.

Adoption of a subdomain structure will allow us to create other related subdomains for new tools and/or community driven projects which might develop. Issues with the old HTLAL.com site has forced us to move the timetable of changes forward by a few days. After the migration we'll try to communicate the new URL in as many ways as possible, via the mailing list, twitter, etc.

I really hope that you'll bear with the adminstrators and the moderators as we try to create a better technical infrastructure and create something which we'll use as a base to build a better more resiliant website.

Regards,
RDearman

[Serpent]

This is also the time to reassure the mods that you don't hate the new url I personally like how it's simple and neutral, making no promises and exerting no pressure. (ie it also includes those who love the process of learning and don't set any goals or don't aim for "fluency" )

[AlexTG]

I like it. Well, I don't like hyphens, but I'll live.

Edit: just remembered I was the one who originally suggested "language learners", obviously I like it :P

[neofight78]

Yep, I like it. It does what it says on the tin

The potential for other projects and content on other subdomains is pretty exciting too

[Mohave]

Love it! Thanks to all who made this happen!

[rlnv]

I agree with folks that have already chimed in. The name is good. It works well with the current forum and is neutral for future expansion. Great foresight in using a subdomain for the forum. :thumbsup

[pir]

The name is blander than tofu, and since it gets 17,200,000 hits (6,910,000 with quotes) I don't know what could be done to get it to where people searching for a nifty language forum could conceivably find it. I guess we need to seed links to it everywhere. I wonder how long it took to get HTLAL to the top of the rankings.

Another, more minor concern is the existence of the domain languagelearners.org, because in my experience people try domains without hyphens first when they've forgotten the exact name of a URL. That domain belongs to a company by the name of Language Learners International, Inc which renewed the domain this February. Did you guys check that out and determine that it's not a problem? The site displays as minimalist as can be (all white!) , and a web search doesn't come up with much of interest; feels like the company might be defunct.

Other than those concerns I have no objections.

And yay for thinking ahead to give the forum a subdomain! Well done.

[astromule]

It's a good name.

[AlexTG]

The name is blander than tofu, and since it gets 17,200,000 hits (6,910,000 with quotes) I don't know what could be done to get it to where people searching for a nifty language forum could conceivably find it.

Google's algorithm prefers shorter domain names as I understand it. Moving up the results shouldn't be difficult at all really, we just keep doing what we're doing, putting on more quality content like we had at the old site and bob's your uncle we'll be at the top.

[emk]

Note that we can give the forum a much more distinctive and unique title, such as "Language Learners' Guide to the Galaxy" (if people still like that option, or something like it), and that will be much easier to Google.