It's Friday. I'm at my desk listening to the Rheostatics. It's the Double Live album from '97. I got a free copy from Dave Bidini a few years back. It's even autographed and inscribed to me. I really like this band. The folks over at the All Music Guide write: "If anyone can lay claim to the title of "Most Canadian Band Ever", the Rheostatics certainly can make a compelling case..." Right on.
Oops, I hyperlinked to another site. Could that get me into trouble? Recently, some people have said that this could be a problem, that there will be litigation on this. I have to say that I do not believe it. There has been no litigation because nobody cares. I think that this might be a make-work scenario devised by lawyers who are under-employed.
To argue that you cannot link to other sites undermines the purpose of the web. What Tim Berners-Lee had in mind was a collection of hyperlinked documents. Now, it is being suggested that we should seek permission. That is crazy. There are millions of links out there.
A link is simply a reference. If you ask me, it's no different than a footnote or a reading suggestion. You do not need permission to add something to a reading list, even if that something is a website. Can you imagine a newspaper seeking permission to include a URL in a story? A link is a reference. Such a law would also put search engines out of business. My theory is, if you put up a web site, expect that someone might link to it.
Update . 8 march 2005
I just visited BoingBoing and I noticed that they have a very concise and humorous linking policy.
Tags: Rheostatics, linking policies
1 comment:
I saw the Rheostatics in concert once, and one of my evening companions actually passed out during the opening bands...we hustled her outside to get some air, and Dave Bidini's wife came out and checked up on us - i think that is such a sweet thing for her to have fun.
Unfortunately, we lost our front-row space, and ended up seeing the Rheostatics from further back, but it was all good.
CMF
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