Buildhardlink.com FAQ
How do I use this service
Locate the hardlink name or number on some object (person, place or thing). Point your cell phone browser at hardlink.mobi gateway and enter the name or number in the text box. See the returned information.
More Information.
If you would like to build a hardlink for some object, go to the top of this page and click on the 'Start Here' icon.
No. The basic service is free and no account registration is required.
What can I use it for
You can build a hardlink for anything you want, business or personal. In that link you can enter information to share with others or just as a reminder for yourself about how something works. A hardlink can be a very general name, such as Tom, but more likely the most useful links are those that are very specific and drill down to a fine detail in physical location. For example, if you forget how to program your house exterior light timer every year with the change resulting from day light savings time, you can create a hardlink with reminder instructions based on the timers part number. The result is that now, each year you can enter the timers part number in your phone and retrieve the instructions. Any future owner of your home will be able to do the same.
Today, thousands of hardlinks are used in more than twenty countries to communicate information about nearly any physical object that can be identified with a name or number. Hardlinking is, at its core, an educational tool with vast uses and possibilities.
Yes. We sell a hosted (SaaS) customizable package called QuickData, that is designed for small to medium sized business. The QuickData Hosted package consists of both a cell phone and desktop component. This package is offered at various price points based on the number of licenses and total monthly capacity. The scaleability of this approach allows us to accommodate the business of a sole proprietor up to a call center or outside sales force of more than 3000 individual users. Please contact sales for additional information.
Is there a BuildHardLink.com affiliate programYes, but the affiliate program is currently by invitation only providing the option to sell QuickData Hosted to small and medium sized business. This program, and it's exciting compensation program, is expected to be available by application in May of 2009.
What is a hardlinkHardlink is a general, non-tradmark, term referring to the exchange of information between some physical object and a mobile device, such as a cell phone.
Who are the contributors to the hardlink databasesCasual users and businesses.
How does someone identify a number as a hardlinkTwo forward slashes found in front of a name or number commonly identify a number as a physical world hyperlink. There is nothing formal about the two forward slashes; if you create a link you can use a marker to add them to your objects name or number.
If I build a hardlink can I place my own personal ad in the footerYes, and at no charge.
Is there a published list of all hardlinksNo. There is no published master list of hardlinks and they are not directly discoverable by search engines. Hardlinks enjoy far greater privacy than a traditional web page but this should not be understood to mean that hardlinks are private, they can be discovered by random entry.
How is this service different from hardlinks created with QR codeThe QR barcode model, popular in Asian countries, allows a cell phone to scan an objects barcode. This action launches the phones web browser and redirects it to the URL coded in the barcode. This action, when successful, wins hands down from a cool factor. However, there are some important things to remember that make this option difficult for many applications:
- A 2D barcode must be created, printed and adhered to the target object. This requires special software to create the 2D barcode.
- A cell phone user must also have 2D barcode software loaded on their phone
- 2D barcode software is not available for all phones
- The phone must be held close enough to scan the objects 2D barcode
- The 2D barcode redirects your phone to a web page. If you are the creator of the link and do not already have a cell phone friendly web page you will need to create and host a dot mobi, or equivalent, web site to receive the link.
In contrast, the text based hardlinking as provided here is very simple. There is no need for barcodes or supporting software and since you are accessing a database portal there is no need to create a dot mobi web page as required for personal use QR Code links.
What is the difference between the standard hardlink and a locked (non-edit) hardlink
When you build a hardlink it will be, by default, editable by all users unless you lock it. Unlocked hardlinks are similar to a wiki in that they are freely available to create and edit by anyone with the goal of contributing to the greater benefit of all that may use and learn from them. All editable hardlinks are licensed as Open Use content. See our TOU for additional information.
A locked hardlink is still available to the general public, but the creator of the hardlink retains copyright protection to the extent described in the TOU and is the only one that can make changes to it. There is a nominal fee for applying a lock to a link. See Pricing for details.
Yes. In fact, without using any HTML your hardlink description text will run together. If you use the HTML <br> tag as a carriage return you can create paragraphs and breaks as needed. There are also some other helpful HTML tags that will work on most mobile browsers. With specific tags you can hyperlink from one hardlink to another, you can hyperlink from one hardlink to an external dot mobi site, you can create email links and even a phone link that allows the user to click your phone number causing the phone to dial. One note about HTML tags, is that their use and interpretation is vastly different depending on the phone and browser you are using. For more information about the most commonly used and most widely accepted tags read 'Better Hardlink Formatting With HTML'.
What cell phones will work with this serviceAll mobile devices, including PDA's, that are Internet enabled. Please note that 'instant messaging' and 'Internet enabled' are generally not the same and instant messaging by itself will not support this service. A phone that is Internet enabled is one that can access Internet web pages that have the dot-mobi extension. Contact your service provider or our Customer Support for further assistance. We will be glad to help.
Do I need to install special software on my phone
No software upload or special phone configuration is needed. For ease of use, we recommend that you place the hardlink.mobi address in your phones quick access or favorites.
This makes the process of accessing a physical link a fast process after the first use.
Yes, free of charge. We recommend that business owners read the TOU for distinctions made between Open Use content and copyrighted content. Contact support for any business use questions. Contact Sales for options with dedicated business products.
Yes. Charging a business or third party to create content is not in conflict with the Terms Of Use (TOU) agreement. Any such agreements are the sole domain of the parties involved and not OracleJane LLC (BUILDhardlink.com). Please see our TOU for further clarification.
