"Just curious, what does the SHVA parameter in the new gmail URL stand for? Is it an acronym? I'm not really asking about the technical usage or the functionality; I'm just interested in the choice of name," asked BRKR. "I know GMail is not an Open-Source program so we can trace the code. But every website tries to make the URL shorter so they ideally shouldn't add redundant data to the URL," thinks Omar Dolaimy.
According to Mike Sego, a former Gmail engineer, "shva" is an acronym for "should have valid authentication". Apparently, the parameter is only included after a successful authentication.
I am become SHVA, the destroyer of worlds....
ReplyDeleteIf the world is destroyed I will sit shva for it.
Deletei dont care dont blog this and dont feed up my reader with this shva bs cuz i dont give a efin shva
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you unsubscribe then TWAT
DeleteHow can we know, only those who design the program know what the short form.
ReplyDeleteThat's make a sense.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info! I've always wondered and just searched it today randomly, only to find you posted my answer yesterday!
ReplyDeleteThanks again,
Ross
After this article about Gmail's mysterious shva=1 parameter, the shva=1 parameter has been removed from Gmail's URL
ReplyDeleteNo it hasn't
DeleteNot removed till date
DeleteNot removed till date
Deletestill not...
DeleteThat seems like a good thing. This blog made it known, and this seemingly useless variable is now *poof*.
ReplyDeleteHa, randomly wondered this too, googled, and here I am.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
ditto! Very entertaining.
DeleteYes, me too googled today just to know whether it is listed...Wow it's here.
DeleteIt's not gone. I still see it. It doesn't do anything changing it. I tried shva=0 to see if it would ask me to log in but it didn't.
ReplyDeleteShould Have Valid Authentication
ReplyDeleteShould Have Valid Authentication
ReplyDeletenice one guys... but wondering y such a parameter to decide authentication....
ReplyDeletesubbu, maybe you should try to finish your sentence next time? It tends to add clarity to your point.
ReplyDeleteIf I load up gmail.com the variable is still there...
ReplyDeletegiven it's connection to the written hebrew language, and it's connection to the name of a hindu deity, seems to me a different choice would suit better...
ReplyDeleteOh it's back, baby!
ReplyDeleteAnd better than ever.
That's hillarious shva t.t
ReplyDeleteThank you for finding this out. It's been bothering me for a whole year now! I don;t know why I didn't look it up sooner.
ReplyDeleteYou know what I think it is? I think it's a check to see if cookies are enabled in the browser. See this tutorial:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.developertutorials.com/tutorials/php/articlename-050526-1149/
Basically to check a cookie was set you have to set the cookie, then resend the headers, then check the cookie exists. Now the shva=1 on the url would be there to stop it from re-doing the check and going into an infinite loop.
SHVA could also mean Security Host Verification and Authentication.
randomly wondering and i found out!
ReplyDeletestill looks useless.
then what is meant by 1 in ?shva=1....i'm new to internet..tats y i'm asking so....
ReplyDeleteremoving ?shva=1 turnes google services in chrome fast again.
ReplyDeleteWonder why? Anybody know? I verified...
Deleteshva=shove it up ur a$$
ReplyDeleteChris, thanks for being the one person here with an intelligent answer.
ReplyDeleteWhat, you didn't think AAhhh's answer was intelligent? ;)
Deletea completely unnecessary parameter, no?
ReplyDeleteANDREW CORBACIO IS A LEET HACKER
ReplyDeleteShould have valid authentication
ReplyDeletehttp://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2010/07/gmails-shva-parameter.html