I wrote a post about known issues (and solutions) to using links and the [link:] tag here:

  http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1256&pid=1695#op

Hopefully the answer you're looking for can be found there. If not, give us an example of something you are having a problem linking and we'll see if someone can figure out the specific issue.

Heading to read that post now. It's really been confusing.

Will let you know if I can figure out something.

This first link did not work.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20121115/NEWS0104/311150021/1009/NEWS0107/Education-panel-backs-property-tax-hike ?odyssey=nav

I took off part of the end, just guessing at it. Left off ?odyssey=nav

Then it fit with the link button and worked just fine.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20121115/NEWS0104/311150021/1009/NEWS0107/Education-panel-backs-property-tax-hike

So what part do you suspect was the culprit?

I usually type the code in rather than using the link button. So if I put this code in my post:

[div style="margin:1em; color:#000066;"][link:http://www.news-press.com/article/20121115/NEWS0104/311150021/1009/NEWS0107/Education-panel-backs-property-tax-hike?odyssey=nav|testing link tag]
I get this link:

  testing link tag

If I type, then highlight the text testing link tag and hit the link button to paste in the address ([font style="color:#000066; font-size:0.8462em;"]http://www.news-press.com/article/20121115/NEWS0104/311150021/1009/NEWS0107/Education-panel-backs-property-tax-hike?odyssey=nav[/font]), I get:

  testing link tag

If I hit the link button, paste in the address, type testing link tag and hit the link button again to close it then I get:

  testing link tag

I'm on W7 using FireFox, perhaps your OS/browser combination is causing a problem when you paste addresses into the dialog box when using the link button. Try copying the code for the link at the beginning of this reply into a post and see if that address works without using the link button.

I'm not really sure what is going on...

I have tried that here with difficult links, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't....just like the link button.

I have Vista, not ready for Windows 8...won't buy it. I guess I will go to Win7 instead. I won't buy an OS that must be prepped with other programs to get back to the usual windows with mouse. Do not like the touch stuff.

I have tried links with both Firefox 17 and IE 9. What works with one works with the other....but there is one site at which I must use IE9 to post at all.

I have no trouble at DailyKos or Twitter, and DU2 still works fine.

I wondered why most here used the plain links, now I know.

Thanks for the help.