Well, to give an example, the Whedonesque post linked to Nilly's website, mentioned it was Nilly in the post and they post on Buffistas (since it was originally posted here). I didn't hotlink here as I figured since it's database driven it might kill it, but Nillys site was pure HTML.

In other words, I wouldn't hotlink something to trash a site.

We don't even tag posts here without seeking permission.

'tag'?

I'm pulling down some sites this weekend due to hotlinking. I wish I could get the home addresses of the fuckers at myspace sucking my bandwidth and go steal their cars.

I'm pulling down some sites this weekend due to hotlinking

Oh! Thanks for reminding me. I need to switch some stuff around, because myspace is populated with some noxious bandwidth thieving fuckers who cost me money.

You've hotlinked me, before, Kevin. The Inside screencaps, I think.

Yes, there was a forum post on TI.org which linked to a screencap of episode 2, I think. I swapped it around when you pointed it out.

Yes, and thank you.

'tag'?

Use as a tag line -- you know, the text under your name.

Not to get all overly dramatic, but the thing about being polite about bandwidth and post-ownership and Buffistas in general, is that being polite is a way of self-preservation.

We're fairly open in that in order to post here, you have to go through a registration process, but anyone can read. We're closed in that you can't google individual posts.

And if enough people don't follow the etiquette the rest of us follow, the slippery slope leads to becoming completely closed.

You don't have to agree with the culture, but if you keep farting at the dinner table, eventually, someone shows you the door.

If you think its ridiculous that your fellow dinner guests are offended by the stink, I'd guess you wouldn't want to stay for dessert anyway.

This post brought to you by not having time for a full cup of coffee. I better go get some.

Jumping in again on the linking thing. For me, hotlinking is bad, unless you have specific permission. Reposting somebody else's words is iffy... full attribution is always necessary, permission is preferred, necessary in many cases. (And thus why I hate buffy.nu/whedon.info.)

Simply linking to something though... in general I see no netiquette problems with simply linking to a site, especially a fully public one. I do sometimes post links on my LJ to stuff on my server which I tell people to not disseminate. But in those cases my audience is strictly limited by friendslocking. And if I've added friends who might not know my preference, I reiterate my request.

There's also things like password protection or 'referer' (bad HTTP header standardizers, bad!) based redirection which can help.

Anyway... if you have a fully public website, and you don't want to get linked to, that needs to be clear to anybody who might stumble upon the site. And I'd still trust technology more than random people on the Internet.