What are the criteria for our listing of links here at
CompuClues?
Well, first we gotta think the link is useful for something, and
then we gotta like the website that the link delivers. That's
about as scientific as we get. The links that we list were
probably suggested by one of the CompuClues Forum Members as being
potentially useful for other folks.
After that, we just see if we don't like it for some
reason.
We don't like websites that:
- Disable the back button
- Disable the forward button
- Disable the right click button
- Disable any controls
- Don't allow resizing of the window
- Make the Window go full screen
- Make the page real long
- Make animated splash pages
- Force a specific fixed screen resolution
- Hide source code
- Deliver Pop-up ads
- Deliver ads that blink and flash and jump all over
- Deliver ads in the middle of content
- Deliver links in hidden or unhidden frames.
- Mess with the default slider bar
- Mess with the default tool bar
- Don't allow us to print your secret content
- Start processes that continuously pop up ads
- Pop ads when leaving the site.
- Play music
- Play sound effects
- Automatically start browser plug-in download offers
- Automatically start browser plug-in downloads
- Require a subscription to view content
We don't like being trapped and tracked and analyzed and slowed
down. If the primary raison d`etre for the site turns out to be
selling something, we probably don't like it. We're not totally
against advertising, but it ought to be low key. The only
advertisement you will see here, at this site, is for people who
actively support our efforts with no strings attached. They
deserve something for their kind and charitable donation, probably
more than we give 'em. We hope you give them your business; we
give them ours whenever we can. In addition to the help they
give us with this website, they provide good service.
The information given at sites that sell stuff is generally less
than informative, not particularly up-to-date, and biased in favor of
selling stuff. Excessive advertising is a turn off—the content
of any web site, we list, has to exceed the amount of
advertising—both in terms of screen real-estate and in download
time. Pages that delay loading until advertisements play make
us move on. We'll pass by flash or anything that takes forever
to load. Excessive or invasive scripting will lose us.
Third party cookies are not appreciated. If there is no domain
name for the website, we don't think it'll be around too long.
If the account is a student account, subscriber account, or a free
account (that comes with advertising), we figure the link will decay
pretty quick. Political agendas won't get us. If we can't
easily find a mission statement, an "about" page, a privacy policy,
some statement of intent, or a frank revelation of association, we'll
ignore the site. Anything marked "secret", we figure ain't our
business. Bad web page design, under construction signs, and
disorganized content will see us marching on. If the content is not
mostly free, no link will appear here. We really hate
come-ons.
We feel obligated to check out a web site before we link it here
for other folks to use. This takes time. It helps if we
are given the name of the web site, the URL, a short description of
what we can expect to find there, a blurb, a mission statement for
the website, the identity of the people associated with the website
and what their agenda is, and how useful the site has been to the
person who suggested it. If you are suggesting that we link a
website on our links page then "This is a great website" doesn't help
much unless you are paying us a compliment.
Links decay rather rapidly. We do as little maintenance as
is possible. If you find that one of our links no longer leads
to anything useful, please let us know in the forums and we'll fix
what's broke.
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