Linking to URLs on the web (was Useful Training pages...)

[Elizabeth A Johnston]

On Mon, 22 Apr 1996, Donald A. Barclay wrote:

> We cut the link, though I think CNN had no more right to tell us we
> couldn't link to their wide-open WWW site than the owner of a billboard
> posted beside a public highway has a right to tell passersby not to look
> at the billboard without paying for the right to do so. 

Agreed. That's sorta the whole point of the Web, anyway. Or, at least I 
thought that's what it was...

> Of course whether what <<I think is right>> would stand up in court is 
> something I'll never know until such a case goes to court. Still, my 

This would be interesting. I wonder what something like that would be
called? 'Linking without permission?' Do any legal-types out there have
insight into what other kind of argument(s) could be made either for or 
against linking to a 'wide-open' site.

> feeling is that if you don't want people linking to your URLs, either 
> don't put your stuff on the web or protect your site with a password 
> system.  

Precisely. We have databases here that must be restricted due to licensing
agreements, and that's exactly what we do. We either require passwords to
access the machines directly or IP range restrict (to university machines)
access from web pages that connect to the dbases. Something sounds kinda
funny here. If an information-providing site wants to restrict access to
paying customers, that's fine. But, as long as the pages are accessible to
the world, anyone can connect to *or* link to them. 

Has anyone else encountered this kind of situation, ie being told to 
'unlink' by a web site? If so, what reason(s) was/were given? Any other 
thoughts on this topic? 

Elizabeth Johnston 
Systems Analyst
University of Pittsburgh Library System
johnston+ at pitt.edu