Guidelines for using hyperlinks.

1. As far as dead links are concerned, I don't see much difference for users between an external reference with a hyperlink, and reference to an external url without a hyperlink. In other words, I don't see much difference between:

"Click here to visit his website" (with a hyperlink)
   and
"Visit his website at www.thestreetspirit.org." (without a hyperlink)

In both cases, we are giving the reader a reference which, if obsolete, will result in a dead link result. There is, however, a big difference for us in that the first case, with the hyperlink, can be automatically scanned to detect dead links, whereas in the second case, there is no way we can automatically scan the article, identify text that is in fact a url, and then test if the specified url is still working. So there may be a case to make for having a policy that we either don't specify a url at all, or we use a hyperlink. See an exception to this below, for urls used as formal references.

2. Whenever a hyperlink is used, use http instead of https. We probably never link to websites where the extra security of https is required, and most websites that require it will automatically redirect you to it. But if we specify https and there is a problem with the certificate (expired is the most common problem), then the link will cause an error. 

3. In the case of a formal reference list where the source of information is given, often as a footnote, specify the complete url, with the text "Retrieved on [date]." Do NOT hyperlink to this url. Links in reference lists should NOT be updated or removed, even if they start generating errors, and even if a new correct address is known. As far as we are concerned, the reference is static data that was correct at the time the document was written, and should not be changed. 

4. Avoid the use of hyperlinks unless they really add additional value for the reader. For example, do not add links to definitions of terms (readers can look them up if they don't know them).

5. When you add a hyperlink, copy the hyperlink into a browser and visit the page. Then copy the link from the browser back into your hyperlink. The reason for doing this is so that any redirects carried out by the webserver at the target site, and this will save users time and will be more accurate if the link we give is not a link that has to be redirected. 

DO THIS ALSO FOR LINKS TO OUR OWN SITE. 

For example, if you want to link to Terry Messman's author page and you use the url "satyagrahafoundation.org/author/terrymessman", you should copy this link into the browser and visit the page. Our website will automatically redirect this link to "www.satyagrahafoundation.org/author/terrymessman/", adding the "www" at the front of the url and adding a slash "/" at the end of the url. This redirected url is the one that you should use in the hyperlink. 

One exception is when the link is redirected from "http" to "https". In that case, do not use the "https" link. This is because "http" will almost always redirect to "https" when "https" is required, but "https" will probably never redirect to "http" when the "https" link is not working properly, for example because of an expired certificate. We should only use "https" in a hyperlink when we feel that, for some reason, this link should only be made to a secure version of the website. 

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6. Examples of articles with problematical hyperlinks ...see 

http://www.satyagrahafoundation.org/guest-editorial-conscientious-objectors-needed-now-more-than-ever/

http://www.satyagrahafoundation.org/the-nonviolent-shift/


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