Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Re: InfoWorld's Linking Policy Changes
Author: Dave Winer Posted: 8/19/1999; 2:18:45 PM Topic: InfoWorld's Linking Policy Changes Msg #: 9695 (In response to 9694) Prev/Next: 9694 / 9696
Of course I agree with my own piece!But understand that InfoWorld comes to the web from somewhere else.
Back in the old days they charged for reprints. It was a profit center for them. If my memory serves me, they charged $2.50 per copy of a review. When they looked at linking they thought it might eat into their reprint revenue (it surely did, in a big way). So they put a policy in place to try to protect that.
You or I wouldn't have done that. But I've seen my own company do bone-headed things, and IDG is much bigger. Shit happens. The thing InfoWorld can be proud of is that they changed in response to feedback. When encouraged to do the right thing, they did the right thing.
They are also setting a good example for their readers, many of whom are operating websites now and are having to make similar decisions.
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