Hello,

I want to display a link to my website on the websites i have created. However, i do not want anyone to be able to remove this link from the source code. How would i proceed? Any thoughts?

thanks!

Matt

The only way is to not give them access to the source code.

You can't hide source code.

Originally Posted by rogem002

You can't hide source code.

I don't think that is what is being asked. It seems the question is, is there a way for me to link to my website in a way that my clients won't be able to remove it?

Frankly I'd say the best way to keep people from removing the link is to do a good job on the site. I know this isn't what you're asking, but the happier your customer, the more they'll want to promote your work. You can't really keep them from removing stuff from their website, so the next best option is to make them love your work.

Make them sign a contract saying they cannot remove the link back. Put a clause (sp) that if they do remove it they have to pay money.

That way they are legally required to link back.

If people don't want the link there, they are going to remove it. Even going through all the trouble of writing up a contract, that users probably won't even read, wouldn't stop a determined person.

If you wanted to you could try to obscure the code that generates the link, but honestly like Will said, the best way to ensure people give you recognition is to do a good job.

Personally, I never place links to my website on websites I've built unless I did the website for free, or close to free. I've had clients link to me, however, because they appreciated the work I did for them. I think that is how it should be.

Originally Posted by killerwhale65

Hello,

I want to display a link to my website on the websites i have created. However, i do not want anyone to be able to remove this link from the source code. How would i proceed? Any thoughts?

thanks!

Matt

1) I can right click and save your link target. (This will give me the URI.)
2) Hiding your source code is impossible, I can list a few ways to circumvent them.
2.1) I can disable JavaScript to stop your anti right click or denial of Ctrl-U
2.2) I can save your page locally and open it with notepad.
2.3) I can get your source from an HTML validator. (This may be stopped by JS, but that can be turned off.
3) The only way to stop users from "stealing" the links is to not put them up there.

You can hide the source code using JavaScript. The browser will still be able to read the source code, but people can't.

If you want to encrypt your source code you can visit this site http://jdstiles.com/java/encrypt.html and follow the directions. Basically, you enter you source code and press encrypt. JavaScript will appear and you replace your normal HTML with the JavaScript.

There are some problems with this. For example, most people have javascript enabled in their browser, but if for some reason they don't, they will not be able to view you page. Another disadvantage is that a small percentage of browser will not be able to read the code, however, the major ones such as IE and FF will.

Because of this I would recommend only compiling the part of the code that needs to, which in this case would be you links that need to be hidden.

Hope this helps

Dear all,

Thank you all for your responses. There are some nice thoughts here. To be honest, most people indeed have no problem with the link as they appreciate the work i have done. But there is 1 client who has changed the link to his own website, making it read: "Webdesign by my_own_website_name", as if he has done all the work himself. I have spent 3 weeks on this, so i don't think this is fair, and that made me put the question here. Yes i have been paid for this, but really not much is you see what is regularly charged. So i think a small link back is not too much to ask.

But well, it's only 1 client and there seems to be not much that can be done (except for the encrypting with javascript, i will check that out). Thanks all for your thoughts!

Matt

Most of the products you buy anywhere are made by a company other than the one whose name is on the product. If you get paid for your time and your work is good then why would you even care? I know it feels like a personal attack but it really isn't worth any effort. You get nothing for the time and energy you spend on this.

But well, it's only 1 client and there seems to be not much that can be done (except for the encrypting with javascript, i will check that out). Thanks all for your thoughts!

That is a horrible idea.

Once, for fun, I invented a way to do this. You can see in THIS THREAD why it is pointless.

Originally Posted by reli4nt

I know it feels like a personal attack but it really isn't worth any effort.

My thoughts as well

Before I talked about encoding with javascript. This may not be the best idea, but I believe encoding with php is very effective. You can try it as well. For example <?php echo 'hello world' ?>encodes to

<?php $_F=__FILE__;$_X='Pz48P3BocA0KNWNoMiAiSDVsbDIgVzJy bGQiOw0KPz4=';
eval(base64_decode('JF9YPWJhc2U2NF9kZWNvZGUoJF9YKT skX1g9c3RydHIoJF9YLC
cxMjM0NTZhb3VpZScsJ2FvdWllMTIzNDU2Jyk7JF9SPWVyZWdf cmVwbGFjZSgnX19GS
UxFX18nLCInIi4kX0YuIiciLCRfWCk7ZXZhbCgkX1IpOyRfUj0 wOyRfWD0wOw=='));?>

you can try it

If you try to force your clients to include your link it's a good way to ensure you'll have less clients in the future. Most clients will be happy to let you include a link back to your site if you ask them and leave them happy with your work. Some won't and they have the right not to link back to you. It's their site. They can do whatever they want with it.

If you want people to know it's your design show it in your portfolio on your site.

<?php $_F=__FILE__;$_X='Pz48P3BocA0KNWNoMiAiSDVsbDIgVzJy bGQiOw0KPz4=';
eval(base64_decode('JF9YPWJhc2U2NF9kZWNvZGUoJF9YKT skX1g9c3RydHIoJF9YLC
cxMjM0NTZhb3VpZScsJ2FvdWllMTIzNDU2Jyk7JF9SPWVyZWdf cmVwbGFjZSgnX19GS
UxFX18nLCInIi4kX0YuIiciLCRfWCk7ZXZhbCgkX1IpOyRfUj0 wOyRfWD0wOw=='));?>

Equally pointless. It still needs to be outputted to the browser, which needs normal code in order to display it. It is always going to be readable without much effort. A quick copy and paste will make a brand new, editable file.

I agree with Vangogh. Forcing your clients to display your link is not a good idea. It is kind of rude that the client is pretending to have designed it. Technically that is illegal, because the code and design does actually belong to you, if you created both. They have the right to use it as they wish, but they can't claim your copyright. But what are you going to do?

Originally Posted by rogem002

Make them sign a contract saying they cannot remove the link back. Put a clause (sp) that if they do remove it they have to pay money.

That way they are legally required to link back.

This is probably the only way to enforce this, and even then, I imagine it's rather difficult.

Of course having that in the contract could also lead to a reduction in clients. Usually when you design a site for someone else they own the copyright. I agree if the client changes the link to say they designed the site you should be able to stop them since they didn't design the site.

It may end up being more trouble than it's worth though to get them to remove that bit.

If there's javascript on the site, I'd say the best way to do it would be to throw a line in the javascript that adds an anchor element to the site in the place you want it. This would be pretty easy if you have a framework, but doable without one.

Once you do that, you could use the YUI compressor to compress your javascript and it would be difficult for the client to figure out where it is. Not only that, but most likely the compressor will reduce the size of your JS file as that is what it is designed to do...

If you right click and "view source" then the link will not appear in the source as it was added dynamically after the page loaded. The downside to this is that if javascript were enabled (not too often) then the link would not be there. Also, if there's no other javascript on the site it wouldn't be "camouflaged" too well.