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I find this prohibition odd, especially given that people in AA posts constantly deep link into other sites.I think that as long as the calling page states that the link is going into a specific section of Audio Asylum then it's OK.
At the risk of Deep Linking, here's a deep link to AA's HTML tag not allowed
What is the rationale for this? I almost never see deep linking prohibitions on other sites. You would think that AA would WANT deep links into its site so that outsiders may be exposed to AA.In fact, that's how I stumbled upon AA -- through a Deep Link. If you had an automatic header included at the top of every page, you would be assured that someone who came into AA through a deep link would know where they are.
FYI a "Deep Link" is defined as a URL hyperlink to content "deep" inside a web site, eg, a specific post, such as:
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/general/messages/156649.html
I suppose it is OK to have a link that goes right to the AA start page:
http://www.audioasylum.com
Thanks,
Darryl
Follow Ups:
Not much to add to what Rod said.AA does have the legal right to control -- i.e. prohibit -- deep linking, should it choose to exercise that right. This has successfully been tested in court.
We've just done that.
Typically a site that doesn't permit deep linking wants the user to have to go through a couple of screens, maybe to solicit contributions, expose him/her to ads, etc., before getting to content.
Step 2, should AA want to take it, is to "license" other sites to deep link in exchange for some consideration -- whether its money, cross-linking, sponsorship, etc.
I'm not the guy who makes policy; but, if AA wants to have the option of doing any of these things, AA needs to assert its legal right to control deep linking. The policy issues are not in my portfolio; but what is in my portfolio is putting AA into a position where the policy guys have the ability to make that choice.
Hope this explains the legal side of it a little.
Actually, it is fairly common for sites to either prohibit deep links and to make it impossible to do. There was a case a year or so ago where a site was doing that to another large site where the content was put in a frame making it look like their own.You'd have to ask Bruce the specifics behind the reasoning. AFAIK, the key issue is commercial sites that would link to reviews or content for the purpose of selling their products. Inless we generally prohibit it, then requiring people to get permission doesn't make sense. If someone wants to link the AA's home page or to a forum, that's fine. This is really targeted toward links directly to a XYZ product review.
Howdy
I understand that it is the Asylum's right to prohibit deep links and that it also might be in the Asylum's best interest to do so.On the other hand, if memory serves, I first ran across the Asylum via deap links from Charles Altmann's jitter pages (http://www.jitter.de). I don't know if he has permition to use these links to reviews of his products, but I don't know how much longer it would have taken me to find the Asylum, say via Google (hey are those deep links? :)
-Ted
I think prohibiting deep linking is silly. No commercial site is going to deep link to AA reviews and risk losing the user. Deep linking is a great way for AA to get traffic and increases ranking in Google. I think deep linking should be encouraged.
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