MetaChat - Quick Dumb Blog Question

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10 August 2005

Quick Dumb Blog Question If you link to someone else's blog, are you supposed to ask them first? Tell them? Or is it permissible/nice/okay to just put the links up there on the sidebar and not worry about it? The etiquette of it all occasionally confounds me.

post by: mygothlaundry at: 20:34 | 21 comments

I think most people are grateful for extra traffic, particularly if it comes from a good site featuring similar interests, so no, I don't think it's essential.

That said, it certainly can't hurt to ask permission; I've done so before. It's a friendly thing to do, and alerts the site owner to your good intentions.

posted by melissa may 10 August | 20:54

Nah I don't think you need to ask. I never did. When I had a weblog, if someone would either email or leave a comment asking if it was ok to link to me (along with a link to their own blog, of course), I always got the feeling that they were just doing it to get me to check out their site. Maybe I'm wrong and I was just overly skeptical though. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to get linked to a blog, unless it had some really objectionable (subjective I know) content.

Except Emigre, the type foundry. They have a thing about getting linked. If they find that they've been permanently linked somewhere, their usual response is to email the offender and ask them to delink. Font snobs.

posted by iconomy 10 August | 20:55

Like Melissa May said, I generally think of it as helpful to the blogger to just add their link, unless it's a limited/private audience blog (of course). Letting them know can help in reciprocation...

Woodfin representin'!

posted by moonbird 10 August | 20:57

Many online journals permit trackbacks, but direct linking to images is generally considered horse theft.

posted by Smart Dalek 10 August | 20:59

I usually just add a link without asking. I've never run into anyone who had a problem with it. Of course, no one I link to actually reads my blog so that could have something to do with it. I think in general that unless the site is clearly private a link shouldn't be any problem.

posted by LeeJay 10 August | 21:01

I've always found it highly flattering.

posted by interrobang 10 August | 21:02

Whoa interrobang. Your yearbook project is blowing my mind. What inspired you to do that?

And I just found this super cute project via LeeJay's blog. Hmm I think I'm going to have to go through the profile links here...

posted by iconomy 10 August | 21:24

I just always wanted to do it, iconomy.

Well, there's more than that.

It used to have the activities and clubs that the students did and belonged to, but haloscan expired them. I suppose I should start loading them back into the blogger comments.

posted by interrobang 10 August | 21:41

i love those yearbook paintings : >

and i want one of those animals!

posted by amberglow 10 August | 22:19

Thanks, y'all. I didn't think it was a big deal - what, the 4 people who read my blog are going to see links that they may or may not click on? - but I wasn't sure.

In other news, I would have answered this earlier but a fucking MOUSE ran out from under my computer desk and since then I've been bravely away from home or crouched on a kitchen stool talking on the phone to my friends for moral support. Little bastard. He sat there and looked at me. And the cats, like cops, cannot be found when you need them.

posted by mygothlaundry 10 August | 22:20

Aw, you have a real live computer mouse. I can say "aw" because it did not run out from underneath my desk.

posted by LeeJay 10 August | 22:23

*is on chair*

posted by gaspode 10 August | 22:25

Those drawings, interrobang, are really wonderful. Have you shown them? They'd make a great exhibition - they're fantastic.

be impressed. I am typing this sitting sideways with my legs up on the computer.

posted by mygothlaundry 10 August | 22:29

They used to be next to my desk at work. Now, they're in a sad little stack on one of my bookshelves, wrapped in plastic, tied with a rubber band. I don't know what to do with them; there are 64 of them, and that'a lot of frames.

Aww, and mice aren't so bad; they're just like little bunnies, with shorter ears.

posted by interrobang 10 August | 22:32

and smaller tails.

posted by Schyler523 10 August | 22:48

This is the Internet - if you don't want people to link to it, don't put it up in the first place! Linking is what the whole thing is about, when you get down to it.

posted by dg 10 August | 22:49

I know I'm always happy when I get a surprise link. (Not that it happens all that often, mind you.)

And vermin-wise, mgl, you could really do a lot worse. We have tree rats in the back yard.

posted by bmarkey 10 August | 23:35

*is on chair*
posted by gaspode 10 August | 22:25

I don't know if I believe that. What was it you do for a job again?

posted by peacay 10 August | 23:53

and sharper teeth!

posted by loquacious 11 August | 03:28

I've linked to them, Iconomy - just to see if I can piss them off. Fookin' prudes.

posted by KevinSKomsvold 11 August | 12:21

To answer your question MGL, like Interrobang, I don't mind at all when people link to me. The four people that have, are really cool people.

posted by KevinSKomsvold 11 August | 12:23

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