another post to Joomla! forum re this issue, August 2006:
Hi Amy:
Thanks for the reply.
Hmm, discussion not being about multiple URLs for the same content seems to be from coders’ viewpoint.
If you’re concerned about actually building websites, this issue/discussion surely is about multiple URLs, and basic Joomla creating these, and so generating Search Engine Unfriendly URLs. (And, as I mentioned, this being a relatively recent problem; seems silly innovation to me.)
I’d rather have that extra query or two, in order to not have to be concerned about duplicate content penalties.
Pretty URLs not a major issue, though I think can help when emailing links to people.
Cool URLs as per: http://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI – page dated 1998, yet URL should still be the same. [How many times might a Mambo/Joomla user’s URLs have changed over the years, if kept to basic URL creation, and used all possible updates?]
Cool, SEF URLs should be among foundations of strong websites.
So, remains odd that they’re left for some later time.
Users not even given a choice – would they prefer better URLs, or fewer queries?; and there isn’t a note that the basic “SEF” URLs can actually be SEU – unless just have one menu link to each page, and otherwise use links to actual URLs, which is clumsy (I’ve had to do so before).
Glad you like DocMartin site. My site running Joomla! – with OpenSEF – is Hong Kong Outdoors.