vB Human Readable URLs

I've been fascinated as of late about "Human Readable URLs" it appears this site uses them via vBseo and vb 4.0 will have them.


What happens to all the external links to my forum if I use Human Readable URLs?

Will this link go to the correct place it did before?
www.acmewidgetforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=34311



If someone made that thread while Human Readable URLs were enabled would that thread get translated to this and that is what is in the browsers window?
www.acmewidgetforum.com/forum/acme_widgets_are_the_best

Does the software retain the standard formatting internally?

 

Could I turn on/off the Human Readable URLs randomly and all copied and pasted links to my forum would always work?



Can I assume once a Human Readable URL method is chosen, either vB 4.0 or vBseo, that the decision is irreversible if it was important that the links to my site need to always work because those 2 methods would generate incompatible links?

Examples:
Start with vBseo generating thread links and I'll have to buy that software forever or the external links to my site will not work.

Start with vB 4.0 generating the links and I'll never be able to use vBseo because vBseo will not understand the vB 4.0 generated Human Readable URL.

Although I'm sure the companies will tout compatibility with this version to that version, etc.

 

I highly doubt that vBulletin won't provide the necessary re-write rules in order for all older link versions to work. Basically, just like with vBSEO, the regular showthread.php URLs will redirect to the SEO friendly URLs via a 301 permanent redirect. All of your backlinks will not be rendered useless.

vBSEO provides you with the re-write rules needed to revert back to the standard showthread.php rules if you ever decided to un-install vBSEO (which not too many people do).

In essence, you can go back and forth as often as you'd like while maintaining retroactive compatibility - but this isn't a good idea in terms of SEO. You'll never accomplish any worthy SERPs this way.

 

I've read this 10 times and my head hurts.

Are you saying

• vBseo converts the existing and future showthread.php URLs to the Human Readable URLs
• Old showthread.php URLs are redirected to the correct threads
• New Human Readable URLs are then pepper about the internet

then maybe a year later if desired there is a revert method vBseo provides to allow

• Conversion of Human Readable URLs back to showthread.php URLs
• The pre-vBseo showthread.php URLs peppered around the internet no longer need any re-direction and those re-directs are removed
• Then the Human Readable URLs which had been peppered around the internet while vBseo was in place are re-directed to the proper threads?

 

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying.

Sorry my first post was confusing. I posted it only twenty minutes after waking up this morning - and that means I hadn't had my first of many cups of coffee yet. :p

 

Your post was not confusing, but I am new to these types of things.



I'm in a unique position with my forum because I am purposely trying to keep it small at the moment, but may need to increase membership soon.

I'm after quality members, the top people in their field, as opposed to people who randomly find the site through links.

By having quality members it brings premium content found no where else and that in turn brings in premium advertising $.