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Instructor
Original Poster
#1 Old 17th May 2017 at 9:50 AM
Default Linking rules
Could someone please point me at the published site rules for linking within posts.

Having scoured the site, the only ones I can find are

Quote:
16. No Blind Links: Do not post a thread and have the only content of the first post a link to a website with no explanation text. Tell people where they're going and why they should bother clicking.


Quote:
4. No linking to adult content, porn, or anything of that nature in your sig.

5. While you may advertise your site, you may not link to sites which are basically just spam or get you something out of it


And in posts from two admins in the WCIF section

Quote:
Please provide direct links whenever possible ...


Quote:
We don't have any rules against linking anywhere on the site, with the exception of malicious links (malware etc), and links to adult sites (which have to be marked 18+ so people are warned about what they might see).


Not really interested in "I think they are ...", as I'd quite like to read these myself and be able to reference them in future

TIA

W

Just call me William, definitely not Who-Ward
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One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#2 Old 17th May 2017 at 12:05 PM
Are you wondering if you can get away with a Patreon link in your posts?

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Destroyer of Worlds
retired moderator
#3 Old 17th May 2017 at 12:09 PM
The best rules for this are located within the Resource Credits Guidelines.
Quote: Originally posted by Resource Credits Guidelines
  • A clickable link to the post or page which contains the resource. Try to link directly to the resource, rather than to the creator's profile or main website.
  • If the creator's website does not allow you to link to the individual page of that resource, give us a description of how to find that resource on the website
  • Avoid hotlinking directly to download servers like mediafire.

There are also specific rules regarding hotlinking in the WCIF Posting Rules. It's located under the provide pictures part, but hotlinking in general is a no-no, not just for pictures.

Hotlinking is a rule that's applicable across the entire site. Any links, to anywhere really, need to go to an actual page especially when they are related to content that can be downloaded. Creators may have information included that downloaders need to see, like required meshes, compatibility issues, credits to whomever related to creation of the thing, or their TOU. Hotlinking, or linking to the simfileshare/mediafire/etc, rather than the upload post of the item is not permitted anywhere on this site.

In response to the "please provide direct links whenever possible" quote, that means specifically to the page where the item can be downloaded. If you're linking to a MTS creation, it'd be to the item upload, not the front page. If linking to a tumblr creator, it'd be the post of the item's upload, not just the creator's main tumblr page. It does not mean hotlinking to the file itself, though I can understand where that might be misleading.

I do understand where the frustration would be, as the rules are rather scattered right now and not necessarily in the most intuitive locations so perhaps it's time that we consolidate and update to make things more clear in the future. I hope this answers your question though!

Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
Instructor
Original Poster
#4 Old 17th May 2017 at 12:40 PM
Quote: Originally posted by heaven
I hope this answers your question

It does, and I thank you for it.

Quote: Originally posted by heaven
... as the rules are rather scattered right now and not necessarily in the most intuitive locations so perhaps it's time that we consolidate and update to make things more clear in the future.

Please :lovestruc

Just call me William, definitely not Who-Ward
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