Re: Linking to other Web sites

Richard Welykochy (rick@dot.net.au)
Fri, 03 Oct 1997 14:57:57 +1000

Paul Chandler wrote:
>
> I wonder if any "linkers" have thoughts on the following matters?
>
> >I've had it suggested to me that if you are setting up a web page
> >containing a list of "Links to useful sites" you should obtain
> >permission from each site you link to.
> >
> >What are peoples thoughts on this? Has anyone heard something similar?

1. What constitutes public information [readily available
to all and sundry]; and what is private?

my answer: information accessible without need of user ID,
and/or/password or other form of authentication is public;
information requiring authorisation or security clearance
is private

2. Public information can be cited, referenced, refered to, or even
"linked to" by anyone for whatever reasons. No-one would challenge
a mass media publication or bibliography for mentioning publicly
available works. No-one should challenge hypertext links to
public Web pages for the same reason.

Of course, whether the reference to a work or body of information
is a hypertext link or part of a bibliography, proper and due
credit must be given for the work being cited. Adn under no circum-
stances is it permissible to give the misleading impression that
someone other than the author/copyright owner created the work.

Richard Welykochy

Dot Communications Ltd tel: (02) 9281 1111
Level 19, 323 Castlereagh St fax: (02) 9281 2219
Sydney NSW 2000