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URL Rewrite Rules

Hi Experts,

I am considering making a simple URL shortner service, in the style of bit.ly.

I am wondering on the easiest method of doing this URL re-writing.
I am familiar with .Net and a little PHP, and moving towards using more Open Source languages as I am falling in love with MySQL over MSSQL more and more.

I assume that it is a simple URL 301 redirect that happens when bit.ly creates a short URL, or a header redirect.

So my question is What server is best for SEO/ programming redirects - IIS or Apache?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

andrewbacon

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Craig Lambie

ASKER

Thanks Andrew.
Do you know what language bit.ly or others are written in?

andrewbacon

I sure don't. There isn't any reason why you couldn't write a URL shortener in any language though... in order for a scripting language to be viable, it has to have the capabilities of doing whatever you want it to do...

I would expect that there are URL shorteners out there written in nearly every available language.

Craig Lambie

ASKER

Thanks for your contribution Andrew.
I am going to leave this question open for a day or two, I will allocate 250 points to you for your contribution, and if I get another answer, I will increase the points and distribute :)

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nemagee

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nemagee

Btw, to answer your question of what language BIT.LY is written in, I can't find the answer easily yet, but my guess is either Java or Python, which would scale really well and give the fastest possible response time -- way better than PHP at that uber-level of hits.

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David S.

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Craig Lambie

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Thanks to all for your contributions