Deep linking (nee: question for the list (fwd)
Paula Edmiston
>
> > I have had a rather hot debate over whether the web is
> linear or nonlinear in its organization.
I wish the web could remain non-linear but recently I've been
caught up in a debate over deep linking. With deep links one can
link to a page that contains relevant information. But lately I'm
running across instances in which (usually for commercial
purposes) owners of sites don't want to allow a specific page to
be linked. They say links must be only to their home page and
that then people must trail through a series of pages to get to
the information. This seems to clumsy to me, to have to provide a
link and then all kinds of text explaining where to go on
arrival, what series of links to follow to get to the
information.
To forbid deep linking seems to me to be a practice that ignores
the essence of the web. Have any of you experienced problems
with deep links?
paula
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paula Edmiston
mesoelectronic hunter/gatherer
edmi...@cs.unca.edu http://www.cs.unca.edu/~edmiston/
Specializing in Exploration & Tool Use on the Matrix of the Net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.A. Gantt
> the essence of the web. Have any of you experienced problems
> with deep links?
I did as the VOTECH Guide for The Mining Company.
I quit.
They did not listen to me re: deep link and frames.
I have no problem with deep links as long as the
original source is clearly given.
This is the essence of academic fair use purposes.
I do not support sites that use frames to make it
harder for the users to find the original source.
Besides... frames are generally accepted as inaccessible
for blind users and other People with Disabilities.
Be careful in your use of frames <in fact more
webmeisters are dropping their use> and definitely
have a navigable alternate that meets with W3C
accessibility guidelines.
See here:
--
P.A. Gantt, Computer Science Technology Instructor
Electronic Media Design and Support
http://user.icx.net/~pgantt/
[the Internet] could remain what it ought to be:
just a public instrument. There ought to be efforts --
not just talk but real efforts -- to ensure Internet
access, not just for rich people but for everyone.
~~ Noam Chomsky, MIT ~~
Frances Roehm
is to provide an initial link to the main page along with direct links
to any of its other features that would be particularly helpful to our
users.
For example, we've linked to the Chicago Tribune's career page and also
linked to the classified section, "Silicon Prairie" and other specific
resources. Folks can then browse the entire career page, or can link
directly to the job postings, etc.
Fran
Frances E. Roehm, Reference Librarian
Skokie (IL) Public Library <http://www.skokie.lib.il.us>
Phone: (847) 673-7774 Fax: (847) 673-7797
E-mail: ro...@skokie.lib.il.us
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Opinions expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect
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Robert Bacal
> To forbid deep linking seems to me to be a practice that ignores the
> essence of the web. Have any of you experienced problems with deep
> links?
I encourage people to link to one of a set of specific pages that
won't change names in the future. We have revolving content and file
names can change or be removed.
Robert Bacal, http://performance-appraisal.8m.com
Join the Performance Management/Appraisal discussion group
Gill, Kathy
>
> > On Tue, 4 May 1999, Georgiana VanSyckle wrote:
> >
> > > I have had a rather hot debate over whether the web is
> > linear or nonlinear in its organization.
>
>
> I wish the web could remain non-linear but recently I've been
> caught up in a debate over deep linking. With deep links one can
> link to a page that contains relevant information. But lately I'm
> running across instances in which (usually for commercial
> purposes) owners of sites don't want to allow a specific page to
> be linked.
>
This is not Unlike the MSFT Sidewalk/Ticketmaster controversy ... Sidewalk
was linking "deep" into Ticketmaster site to take readers/viewers "straight"
to relevant concert [performance, could have been theatre, etc.]
information. Ticketmaster took issue with this practice, because it removed
all those 'eyeballs' from pages that would have shown Ticketmaster
advertising. [this is my memory of the case, there may have been additional
issues]
The only way owners of sites can "prohibit" a deep page to be linked is by
wrapping it in a frameset. I will usually then look for another source of
the information, because if I"m searching for content for my audience, I
don't want to force them through hoops to get there.
Kathy