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When we click "share" , there is a popup:

enter image description here

In the popup, I suggest we have a Copy button beside the textbox (and near to "share" so as to minimize mouse movement) to make it easier to copy links to the clipboard. After all, that's what the user is most likely to do next after clicking "share".

It might look like Bitly's "Copy" button:

enter image description here

or Github's "Copy the full SHA" button:

enter image description here

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  • Last time I checked, this required a Flash plugin to work. And if I'm not mistaken, Stack Exchange would be very reluctant to add such a thing.
    – slhck
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 20:25
  • 1
    It's already pre-selected, so the quickest way to copy it would be to press Ctrl+C.
    – nhinkle Mod
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 20:32
  • @nhinkle No the quickest way to copy it would be to click a button. Ok, that depends on whether your left hand is faster or your right hand. But not everyone has two hands (or use two hands on the computer) you know.
    – Pacerier
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 20:35
  • @slhck Hmm I think a Java plugin would work as well. Could make it such that the button is only shown if the plugin is available and working... bitly seems to have no usability issues with it.
    – Pacerier
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 20:41
  • 1
    Yeah, except that this is the number one use case for bit.ly. I'm not too sure if they'd like that for Stack Exchange, is what I'm saying :)
    – slhck
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 21:24
  • @slhck True.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
    – Pacerier
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 21:39
  • 1
    @DanielBeck: The explicit user action would be to click the "copy link" button.
    – Oliver Salzburg
    Commented Jul 17, 2012 at 9:26
  • @DanielBeck What do you mean by explicit user action. If a user doesn't want to copy, then simply don't click the "copy link" button..
    – Pacerier
    Commented Jul 17, 2012 at 11:51
  • Right, misread that. Sorry about that. Please edit so I can undo my vote.
    – Daniel Beck Mod
    Commented Jul 17, 2012 at 14:28
  • @DanielBeck, ok =)
    – Pacerier
    Commented Jul 17, 2012 at 16:31

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Just FYI, if you're looking for a one-hand only solution, try this:

enter image description here

The link itself is also a valid link to the same address.

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  • Cool =) That's a good work around. But my point is, it is not immediately obvious (usability).
    – Pacerier
    Commented Jul 16, 2012 at 23:03
  • There should be a Copy entry in the context menu to selected text as well.
    – Daniel Beck Mod
    Commented Jul 17, 2012 at 6:39
  • @DanielBeck, Yea, though it takes much much longer to do that. click + Click takes about 1 second. Compare that with Click + movemouse + right click + movemouse + click.
    – Pacerier
    Commented Nov 5, 2015 at 22:10
  • @Pacerier The text is already selected in the popup. (Also, doesn't Windows allow triple-clicking to select everything?)
    – Daniel Beck Mod
    Commented Nov 7, 2015 at 12:34
  • @DanielBeck, Windows has triple-clicking too, and it's true that the text is already selected in the popup. However, "Click + movemouse + right click + movemouse + click" is still required. 1) click on "share" 2) move the mouse from "share" to the preselected link 3) right-click the selected link 4) move mouse from selected link to "copy" in the context menu 5) click to copy.
    – Pacerier
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 6:18
  • @Pacerier You're right of course. Thanks for the clarification.
    – Daniel Beck Mod
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 18:21

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