We’re trying something new with our rewrite rules, and will be redirecting links from non-NeoSmart sites for older versions of our programs to the download page for the latest program.

For instance, if a Slashdot post is pointing to EasyBCD 1.5 setup file directly, it will be redirected to the EasyBCD download page where the user will have a choice of downloading the very newest version of EasyBCD or an older version if they so choose.

We were a bit hesitant to mess around with incoming links (technically, it isn’t linkjacking since they’re all our links to begin with, but it’s dangerously close!), but the number of direct download links to old versions of EasyBCD from external sites is dangerously high – especially when newer versions contain patches for many serious issues that have arisen over time.

External links to the newest version will never be redirected. We like hotlinking, just so long as proper credit is given; and since there is no danger in a Digg post containing a direct link to EasyBCD 1.6 (which is the newest at the time of this post), it would go ahead and download directly, no intervention whatsoever.

We hope this is a good idea that will protect people from out-of-date articles and links. It’s important to be up to date no matter what software your using, and with system utilities it’s a hundred times more essential that you use the latest version available from the get-go.

Please let us know what you think, our goal is to keep our readers, members, and users alike informed, safe, sound, and happy. So post away!