Frequently Asked Questions

What is WhenGuard?

WhenGuard is a simple Web service for delayed publication of time-sensitive content. It's like a safe deposit vault for content that opens only for a certain time.

If you have a WhenGuard Just In Time link

 

I have an http://whenguard.com/XXXXX link. Why can't I see what it points to?

First of all, welcome to WhenGuard! Glad you're here!

The Just In Time link, or jitlink, that you got was created by someone else to keep a piece of content secret until a certain time on a certain day. If you visit the jitlink before that time, you'll just see a page that shows the time left until it is revealed. If you visit the page after the jitlink has expired, you will be shown a message to that effect.

OK, so when can I see what the Just In Time link really points to?

You saw that countdown clock right? Come back after it has counted down to zero, and poof—the Just In Time link will direct you to the right content then. If you see a message saying that the jitlink has expired, then you will not be able to see what it really points to.

Fine, so what is a Just In Time link anyhow?

Internet URLs point to content on the Web. A Just In Time link (sometimes called a Just In Time link, or a jitlink) is just like a regular Internet link, except that it has a reveal time. Unlike other links on the Web, WhenGuard's jitlinks will work only after their reveal time has passed.

Some jitlinks can also have hide times. These jitlinks will stop working after their hide time has passed.

If a jitlink has both a reveal and hide times, it will redirect users to the content it masks only between the reveal time and the hide time. Otherwise, it will redirect users to the content it represents only after the reveal time has passed.

Webmasters: if you want to make a Just In Time Link on WhenGuard

Why would I use WhenGuard?

Let's say you have some exciting information that you'd like to keep secret until after a particular time.

You submit a link to that material to WhenGuard and give it a "reveal time", i.e. when you want to take the wraps off it. WhenGuard then gives you back a jitlink that you can give out to anyone. The jitlink won't become active until the time you specify has passed.

Can I hide information after a certain time?

Yes. You can optionally specify a hide time for a jitlink when it is created. After the hide time has passed, users of the jitlink will see a message informing them that the jitlink has expired.

Why would this be useful to anyone?

Sometimes you just want to push out some content and be done with it. You may still not want others to see it until a given time has passed though.

Until now, you have no choice but to wait until that time to push out your content.

When you make a jitlink for that content, WhenGuard takes care of taking the wraps off the link (or optionally, putting them back on) at the right time.

What are some of the ways in which I can use WhenGuard?

You could use WhenGuard in several cases:

• If you are throwing a surprise party, you can create a jitlink for the invitation and send it to all your friends ahead of time. You get to decide exactly when they'll see your invitation.
• If you're posting a classified ad on Craigslist and you want to reveal some information only after a given time (such as the address of an apartment) you can create a jitlink for that information that becomes active only after a certain time.
• If you're a musician and you want to start distributing tickets for your show at a particular time, you can do so with WhenGuard and still pass out the link ahead of time.
• If you're an online merchant who wants your audience to get to Internet coupons at exactly the right time, you can distribute a jitlink to the coupons or special offers well before they take effect.

 

Can I use WhenGuard with RSS feeds?

Sure!

When creating a jitlink, WhenGuard automagically detects if you enter a URL that points to an RSS feed. WhenGuard then makes a special jitlink for you that points to XML content–you will see that the jitlink you get will contain a lowercase x. Users of these jitlinks will not be shown a countdown page, but will be redirected to equivalent RSS feeds that notify them of the status of that jitlink. Only RSS is supported at the moment, but Atom support should be added soon.

Can XML jitlinks be revealed and hidden?

Yes. As with any other jitlink, you can set both hide and reveal times for an XML jitlink. You can use XML jitlinks to create a slice of your blog or Twitter feed that works only for a given time.

 

Can I change the reveal time or hide time of a jitlink?

You can change the reveal time or hide time of a jitlink respectively before either time has passed. These changes can only happen at a special link emailed to you when the jitlink is created. If there is a possiblity you might change the reveal or hide times of a jitlink, make sure you enter your email address when you create a jitlink to receive the special update link.

I am a blogger. What use is WhenGuard to me?

Let's say you want to include something in a blog post you're writing but you can't because it's not public yet. You can publish your blog post anyway and include a jitlink in it that links to time-sensitive information. After that jitlink's reveal time has passed, your readers can follow it to be redirected to that time-sensitive information. You can also have time-sensitive content expire by setting a hide time for a jitlink. Or you could create a XML jitlink around your RSS feed to expose your blog content only during a certain time.

I am a public relations professional. What use is WhenGuard to me?

If you are putting out a press release embargoed until a certain time, you can create a jitlink with that embargo time and distribute it ahead of time. Bloggers and journalists can include it in their stories as usual. People who follow the jitlink won't see your press release until the embargo has lifted.

What are some other ways in which I can use WhenGuard?

If you're an educator making a test or other sensitive information available online, you can give out jitlinks to your students and be assured that they won't see what that link points to until their reveal time has passed. You can also have such information automatically expire after a certain time.

How can I be sure WhenGuard won't reveal my content ahead of time?

Good question! Before revealing a jitlink, WhenGuard cross-checks the local time on the server with online clocks at NIST to make sure it's okay.

NIST is the organization that officially keeps time for the U.S. government. These clocks are globally synchronized and accurate to the millisecond level. Together WhenGuard and you are trusting the best available online timekeeper.

I tried making a jitlink with a reveal time in 2034 and I got an 'ERROR: Reveal time is too far into the future'. Why?

Because WhenGuard thinks that most jitlinks with reveal times that far in the future are likely to originate from spammers. Of course, WhenGuard is just a computer program that doesn't know better, so if you get this message and really need to have a jitlink with a reveal time far out in the future, write a note to guard at whenguard.com and the kindly spirits there can take care of your request.

I created a jitlink and there was some kind of database error and some people ended up seeing my content at the wrong time. Can I sue you?

Sorry about the error but the answer is no—WhenGuard is not legally liable. WhenGuard is a free Web service that comes with absolutely no warranties of any kind. This means that although its creators will undertake the best effort to make sure there are no logic errors and that your content is safe, you are still using it at your own risk.

For the extra curious...

What happens if I make a jitlink with a reveal time in the past?

WhenGuard treats past reveal times like any other reveal time and still gives you a jitlink, except that it would work immediately because its reveal time has already passed. In effect, it would be just like other URL shortening services on the Web.

 

What are these WhenGuard Ping and Feedfetcher bots doing on my blog or website?

These are two HTTP clients WhenGuard uses to validate and fetch web pages or RSS feeds. For a number of reasons, WhenGuard occasionally needs to act as a proxy for HTTP content. If a feed is picked off your site, it is delivered as is, with any ads inserted by you. WhenGuard means no harm.