Cool URIs Don't Change (1998)

A "cool URI" is one that never changes, yet millions of links become broken because organizations lack foresight when redesigning websites, reorganizing files, or updating technology. The author argues that URIs should be treated as abstract, stable identifiers separate from the underlying file system or technology implementation, and that most reasons for changing URIs—such as website reorganizations or switching from scripts to binary programs—are avoidable with proper planning and server configuration.