Bandwidth Theft??

[LadyGrey]

I honestly don't know where to ask this question so I'll try here.
I am working on a web page and I want to link to Pete's Component Identification thread and link here to the PC Guide. Now, I was doing some reading and research and came across something that said linking to sites could be considered bandwidth theft. Is that correct?? I'm very unclear on the whole bandwidth thing. Should I not put links on my page?? I did the normal www.pcguide.com for one link and then I went to Pete's thread and copied the addy from my browser window to make a link to that. Is that a no-no??:confused: Please let me know as I surely don't want to do something I shouldn't:eek: Thanks!!
LG;)

[pave_spectre]

I think 'bandwidth theft' is actually when you place a link to something like an image on someone elses site so that it displays on your page without having to host the image on you own server, so that the transmission of images that appear to be on your page is actually using someone elses bandwidth to send the images (or pages or whatever it might be).

I dont think linking to a page URL so that the entire page opens up and the viewer is actually sent to that URL constitutes bandwidth theft, though depending on the site courtesy might require seeking permission to link to specific elements within a site beyond the main page.

[david eaton]

Lady Grey.
Using a direct link to a page is perfectly OK. After all, that's why it's called the web! Some pages it's as well to check with the webmaster of the other site, if the site changes on a regular basis, but links to "static" web pages should be no problem. Only proviso is that you should check that the link still works occasionally! Nothing worse than broken links and 404 errors for making a website look amatuerish.

pave_pectre is correct about bandwidth theft. Linking to a remote image, rather than hosting it yourself, is generally a No No.

[John0904]

Hmmm....

I considered bandwidth theft as someone with a mobile computer connecting to unsecured wireless networks to access the Internet.

I suppose linking a image from site A to site B could be considered bandwith theft, but to a smaller degree.

Putting URL WWW links is not bandwidth theft.

[mjc]

If I have an image on my server, that I am paying for, and a large number of people link to that image, making my bandwidth consumed increase dramatically so I have to pay more...all those deadbeats are thieves in my book.....taking my money out of my pocket!

Now if they link to the page that the image is located on and it increases my overall site traffic, well then that is a different story.

[LadyGrey]

Ok, I think I got the general idea now. Mjc Do you think Charles would mind if I linked to the PC Guide and to Pete's page?? Should I email him and ask? I hate to bother the man I know how busy he is. The links are both WWW. links so that's the right way, right? Can you and Pete tell me if it's ok??
Thanks for all the input!!! LG;)
Uh ohh, almost forgot I want to put a link to your pages too Mjc, is that ok?? It's just a personal web page or two. I've called it LG's ;) Computer Pages. Just describing all my trials and terrors about computers! :D and trying to point any new people in the right direction if they need info or help.

[mjc]

My official link is http://mjc1.com