Gitpod: The prefix "gitpod.io#" doesn't work in Firefox

Created on 13 Feb 2019 · 8Comments · Source: gitpod-io/gitpod

So far we are advertising the message "prefix any GitHub URL with gitpod.io#" But this prefix only works in Chrome and not in Firefox. If you use this prefix in Firefox, you get redirected to Google.
"gitpod.io/#" or "https://gitpod.io#" works for both browser but it might be more difficult to remember and even harder to pronounce.

Source

ChristinFrohne

Most helpful comment

Ok, let's go with 'gitpod.io/#'.
I wanted to have something that I can tell friends and they would remember it.
So I'd continue to say 'gitpod io hash' which translates in written gitpod.io/# or even https://gitpod.io/#.

svenefftinge on 13 Feb 2019

👍4

All 8 comments

Same with Safari.

JanKoehnlein on 13 Feb 2019

Until someone told me that one could use gitpod.io# I had not even thought of it - and as it turns out gitpod.io# is not a valid URI. According to the RFC the / must be present if an authority is present (gitpod.io).

Personally I'd vote for gitpod.io/# as prefix even though it is slightly more complicated that gitpod.io#, but as a developer this feels "closer to home".

csweichel on 13 Feb 2019

👍4

That seems to depend on leading protocol, too, extending the table to:

https://gitpod.io#https://github.com/theia-ide/theia: :heavy_check_mark:
https://gitpod.io/#https://github.com/theia-ide/theia: :heavy_check_mark:
gitpod.io/#https://github.com/theia-ide/theia: :heavy_check_mark:
gitpod.io#https://github.com/theia-ide/theia: Invalid URL

geropl on 13 Feb 2019

👍1

Same as Chris, at first I was surprised by the gitpod.io# trick. It felt a little strange (just like writing only <!doctype html> in a web page, or omitting / in a void element like <br>), and I often added https:// or /# to it out of conscientiousness, but I was slowly getting used to the shorter version.

But then I also got bitten by the sudden Google search when really using just gitpod.io#. Maybe let's not rely on Chrome-only behavior.

I'd also vote for gitpod.io/#, as it's just one more character (so still as readable and memorable), and it also feels cleaner. HTTPS should be implicit by now (HTTP requests should get redirected by either HSTS policy or permanent redirection without the user having to suffer the cognitive overhead of verifying protocols).