HIT: Linking to others Web Page

[Wanda Nall <wnall@TENET.EDU>]

 My original question was "is it OK to link to others web pages, from your
school's home page, such as to an author."  Here are the answers I received.

Wanda,

a very concerned and thoughtful question ... most folks want others to link
to them and should not be afraid to have others link to them; the reason
why folks have web sites is to have people COME and see them ...

I always make it a habit to ask to link to them - just to let them know and
not to have my site show up as a surprise to them (they can track who comes
to their site and from where. . .) - and have never been turned down yet. .
. it's just a nice gesture on one's part. . .

Unless the author has expressly forbidden it, I would say yes.  Isn't
that the whole point of the Web?  To find and link to other sites?  But
I would also email the person and let them know you're doing it and if
permission is required.  tHat way, you cover your bases.

Hello Wanda,

I too have this concern and my tech teacher/coordinator
takes a different view. I feel we should ask permission,
if only as a courtsey. The tech. person feels that once
things are on the web they are equal to public domain.

I also feel that if the link goes directly to someone's
main homepage it is more fair to the creator of the page
due to the fact that it will be obvious that the domain
(is that the right word) has changed and the work being
viewed is someone else's creation.

I would appreciate it if you could send me the responses you
get as this is a hot topic at my school.

I was fortunate enough to hear Carol Simpson speak and
my feeling from her workshop is that everything is copyrighted
the minute it is created. It is not only necessary, but polite
to ask. She said that most authors will say yes, it's to
their benefit to do so.

One of my concerns is when one creates a web page and the
links are only words, no url listed at all, so when one
clicks on it, and goes to someone elses work, that is in the
middle of their site, it appears as if the original author
did the writing. For some reason this strikes me as
"unethical" - a little judgemental - but it seems wrong.

Good luck - a lot of people will be interested in this I bet!

Yes.  Perfectly, totally, legal and proper.  The only no-no is to "frame"
content of another site in a manner that makes it look like your own.  But
a regular link to another site, no problem.

It is sometimes considered to be a courtesy to let the person know you are
posting the link, but that is RARELY done, and could be a real nuisance,
actually, if MANY people were linking to a particular site, as it would
inundate the site's operator with e-mail.

It's always better to get permission from that person before establishing
>a link to their page!
>
You should go to the page and look for an email address.  It may just
be a link to the person's name.  Email them and ask permission.  Most
people are more than happy to have more links to their site, but you
should always ask.

Wanda Nall
Library Media Specialist
Northwest Primary School
400 Moreman
Hereford, TX 79045
wnall@tenet.edu

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