Linking to URLs on the web--CNN--Copyright

[Donald A. Barclay]

To clarify a bit on the copyright issue and the link to CNN.  I don't 
remember what the link on our page said, exactly, but I know the link 
didn't include any copyrightable image--i.e., no CNN logo or soundbite 
of James Earl Jones booming "This is CNN."  

The most the link included was the initialism "CNN".  I hope our society
hasn't gotten to the point where we can't even write words like
"Disneyland," "Coca-Cola," or "Microsoft" without first getting the
royal permission of the mighty corporate giants themselves.  (I know that the
words I've just written at supposed to have the little tradmark symbols
after them, but I plead Mea ASCII.)  

What's next?  Disney trademarks the alphabet and no one can write a word
without Mike Eisner signing off on it? 

And I still say people who don't want the mob looking at their work either
shouldn't put it on the net or else password it.  It's kind of like those
jerks who want to donate their family papers to your archives with the
tiny stipulation that no one outside the family will ever be allowed to
look at the papers, ever. What's the point?  Might as well put it in a 
strongbox at the bank.

Donald A. Barclay 
New Mexico State University Library     always the beautiful answer
dbarclay at lib.nmsu.edu                   who asks a more beautiful question 
                                                    --e.e. cummings