Mefi permanent cache links June 11, 2007 9:39 PM Subscribe
Should the MeFi complex permanently cache links? Is it legal?
I recently desired to access some link I had added as a comment. My comment included a link to a PDF of testicle size. However when I now follow the chain the PDF has been removed.
Why was it removed? Either because the link became so popular that somebody figured they could make money off of it, maybe generated by my linking to it, or because of space limitations or reorganizations on the server. Anyway the link and its content have now evaporated and only maybe can I find a new link to it.
The cost/gigabite is now so low that it seems the MeFi complex could cache every link added. As long as the cache was not exposed to the outside to allow google searches (and similar traffic).
If some linked page was once put in the public domain does that mean that once it is removed it is no longer in the public domain?
God, no. The only major site I know of that does this is Digg, and they don't do it themselves.
Google cache, and failing that, archive.org will usually have whatever you're looking for anyway.
posted by empath at 9:44 PM on June 11, 2007
Google cache, and failing that, archive.org will usually have whatever you're looking for anyway.
posted by empath at 9:44 PM on June 11, 2007
Secretariat: Well.. only the BEST of it.
posted by empath at 9:44 PM on June 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by empath at 9:44 PM on June 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
For one thing, posting content to the web is not the same as putting it into the public domain. Hiding-it-from-the-world arguments notwithstanding, we'd be scraping content and removing control over it from its owners. Minefield.
For another, not everything on the other end of a link will be small, or easily/meaningfully cacheable, regardless.
I don't think it makes much sense in practice. Good practices can minimize linkdeath, but in the end it's just part of the circle of life.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:46 PM on June 11, 2007
For another, not everything on the other end of a link will be small, or easily/meaningfully cacheable, regardless.
I don't think it makes much sense in practice. Good practices can minimize linkdeath, but in the end it's just part of the circle of life.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:46 PM on June 11, 2007
There's a really big problem with your idea. It's known as "copyright law".
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 9:47 PM on June 11, 2007
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 9:47 PM on June 11, 2007
Hee. The MetaFilter-Industrial Complex.
Sounds like a great name for a collaborative retro-90's electro-remix composition...
posted by BeerFilter at 10:05 PM on June 11, 2007
Sounds like a great name for a collaborative retro-90's electro-remix composition...
posted by BeerFilter at 10:05 PM on June 11, 2007
If Metfilter starts caching NZPA news content - I will be giving Matt a call...
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:07 PM on June 11, 2007
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:07 PM on June 11, 2007
Or indeed Metafilter or google news or any other web site that is sans license.
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:11 PM on June 11, 2007
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:11 PM on June 11, 2007
MonkeySaltedNuts: my comment included a link to a PDF of testicle size...
eponysterical.
posted by exlotuseater at 10:30 PM on June 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
eponysterical.
posted by exlotuseater at 10:30 PM on June 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
Er, what's stopping you from making your own cache of interesting things you've found, by downloading interesting PDFs and web pages to your own hard drive?
posted by davejay at 11:09 PM on June 11, 2007
posted by davejay at 11:09 PM on June 11, 2007
By the way, a PDF of testicle size is a very small PDF indeed. If it's also of testicle shape, that would be a very unique PDF.
posted by davejay at 11:10 PM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by davejay at 11:10 PM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
I thought about going to bed and asking my wife if she wants to see my PDFs, but thought better of it.
posted by davejay at 11:11 PM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by davejay at 11:11 PM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
I went to your bed and asked your wife if she wants to see your PDFs. She said "lol."
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 11:36 PM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 11:36 PM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
MetaFilter: My comment included a link to a PDF of testicle size.
posted by ikkyu2 at 1:18 AM on June 12, 2007
posted by ikkyu2 at 1:18 AM on June 12, 2007
Should the MeFi complex permanently cache links? Is it legal?
1. No.
2. Maybe, maybe not, but it's probably a better test case for a site with a team of crack lawyers. Not this one.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:50 AM on June 12, 2007
1. No.
2. Maybe, maybe not, but it's probably a better test case for a site with a team of crack lawyers. Not this one.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:50 AM on June 12, 2007
a better test case for a site with a team of crack lawyers.
Copyright law by itself is complicated enough. Why you wanna add drugs to the equation?
posted by micayetoca at 6:17 AM on June 12, 2007
Copyright law by itself is complicated enough. Why you wanna add drugs to the equation?
posted by micayetoca at 6:17 AM on June 12, 2007
a better test case for a site with a team of crack lawyers.
...to go up against the linked site's team of testicle lawyers.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:53 AM on June 12, 2007
...to go up against the linked site's team of testicle lawyers.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:53 AM on June 12, 2007
This thread is funny! That's where I'm a Viking.
posted by languagehat at 7:28 AM on June 12, 2007
posted by languagehat at 7:28 AM on June 12, 2007
I'm going to champion you right in the face, bucko.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:56 AM on June 12, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:56 AM on June 12, 2007
BTW, is that car-crash of a thread still going? I only ask as my spirit would wither if I read anymore of it.
posted by ob at 8:24 AM on June 12, 2007
posted by ob at 8:24 AM on June 12, 2007
probably a better test case for a site with a team of crack lawyers
We don't need crack lawyers - this is a balls, not an arse, case.
Ahoo, aha, heee, argh (my Viking war cry).
posted by Abiezer at 8:33 AM on June 12, 2007
We don't need crack lawyers - this is a balls, not an arse, case.
Ahoo, aha, heee, argh (my Viking war cry).
posted by Abiezer at 8:33 AM on June 12, 2007
This already exists in many forms. People can back up their links using the Coral Content Distribution Network.
posted by loquacious at 8:40 AM on June 12, 2007
posted by loquacious at 8:40 AM on June 12, 2007
Goddammit I went to the Viking thread and it's still fucking going. My soul weeps.
posted by ob at 8:46 AM on June 12, 2007
posted by ob at 8:46 AM on June 12, 2007
"a better test case for a site with a team of crack lawyers."
It modified my personality to the extent that I was highly irritable. I was like a crack Hitler.
posted by klangklangston at 11:28 AM on June 12, 2007
It modified my personality to the extent that I was highly irritable. I was like a crack Hitler.
posted by klangklangston at 11:28 AM on June 12, 2007
- I wroted you a link
- but it got losted
- why yuo no saev link? :( :( :(
Is there any way to archive.org or google cache link some of the old broken links? Granted, it's mostly newsfilter stuff that expires out, but it makes browsing the backlog of posts danged near impossible, when every other link is kaput. We could put a little cache icon or something on the link, letting people know it's not the real site anymore.
posted by potch at 12:55 PM on June 12, 2007
posted by potch at 12:55 PM on June 12, 2007
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posted by Secretariat at 9:44 PM on June 11, 2007 [2 favorites]