How does TinyURL work?

Question

I know that may seem a stupid questions because it is the smallest thing one could wonder about but I'm curious. So how does http://www.tinyurl.com/ work, put in a long address and it generates a short one, how?

Additional Details

You're both right... I don't think I can choose...

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

It probably just creates a web page with html on the page to redirect you to the large link.

Right-click to download their example, open in Notepad, and look at the html... http://tinyurl.com/6

Answer 2

TinyURL and simular services just store the address you input, then gives you a new one. When people try to access the new address the gave you, they juts redirects the new one to the old one.