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New Orbitz Terms Prohibit Inbound Deep Linking

Posted by timothy on from the front-door-only dept.

chekovma writes "Orbitz has announced a new set of Terms and Conditions that take effect March 12th which require anyone who uses their website (creates an account there) to follow strict inbound linking rules. These rules prohibit a user from creating even a plain text link to orbitz.com without first notifying them and require a user to take down such a link at their desire. It also disallows any deep linking -- meaning even this post violates those terms and conditions."

25 of 524 comments (clear)

  1. Good Morning Slashdot! by Ads+are+broken · · Score: 3, Funny

    I just wanted to tell you how much I love you! Have a great day!

  2. Terms and Conditions of this Comments by bigtallmofo · · Score: 5, Funny

    By reading this comment, you agree that you will not link to this comment or any of its child comments. You also agree to mod it up, using any and all mod points that you currently have.

    By reading the terms and conditions of this comment, you are locked in to obeying them by the most basic laws of physics of the universe and failure to obey them will cause you and your entire family to instantly cease to exist.

    --
    I'm a big tall mofo.
    1. Re:Terms and Conditions of this Comments by cHiphead · · Score: 5, Funny

      You also agree to mod it up, using any and all mod points that you currently have.

      Holy crap, it worked.

      --

      This is my sig. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
    2. Re:Terms and Conditions of this Comments by sapped · · Score: 2, Funny

      By reading the terms and conditions of this comment, you are locked in to obeying them by the most basic laws of physics of the universe and failure to obey them will cause you and your entire family to instantly cease to exist.

      Could I modify that to ...your current manager to instantly cease to exist ?

      If you find this amendment to your T and C's ameniable please provide the deepest spot on your comment to link to.

    3. Re:Terms and Conditions of this Comments by k96822 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Is it going to be someday that imprinted on your hamburger patty is an EULA that absolves the fast food companies of any obligation to your health?

      Stop... giving... them... ideas!!!

  3. Message to Timothy by millwall · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ok, so if you post a dupe of story it could be serious. No dupe postings of this story after March 12th :)

  4. maybe we should oblige them by slashjames · · Score: 5, Funny

    By removing all links to Orbitz from other domains, watch them fall in search engine rankings. Orbitz fails to realize they only are high in the search results because other sites link to them. Their current policy indicates they don't want to even show up!

  5. on the plus side.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...i wonder if they've heard of the /. effect?

    (i have a feeling they are about to :-)

  6. Short Orbitz Stock by Deanasc · · Score: 5, Funny
    Clearly showing a fundimental misunderstanding about how the internet works should be a huge warning flag that management doesn't understand the world they're working in.

    Why would anyone need to deep link to a gum that keeps your teeth clean anyway?

    --
    I've hit Karma 50 and gotten a Score:5, Troll... I win!
  7. A Cease to Exist notice? by Myriad · · Score: 5, Funny
    By reading the terms and conditions of this comment, you are locked in to obeying them by the most basic laws of physics of the universe and failure to obey them will cause you and your entire family to instantly cease to exist.

    Man, your lawyer must have friends in very high places if he can issue a Cease to Exist notice!

    How is such a thing delivered? Does the Reaper come in person?


    Blockwars: Free, multiplayer, Tetris like game.

    --
    "They do not preach that their god will rouse them, a little before the Nuts work loose." Kipling, 'The Sons of Martha'
  8. Re:There is no such thing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd never heard of them

    Congrats to whoever wrote your popup blocker.

  9. This is too bad... by EmagGeek · · Score: 4, Funny

    I use Orbitz all the time, and I have generally had good experiences with them. In fact, I used them the other day to book a trip to Phoenix. It's too bad these new terms are so restrictive.

    1. Re:This is too bad... by mithras+the+prophet · · Score: 5, Funny
      I just sent them this email:
      To: customerservice@orbitz.com
      From: <me>
      Subject: request
      Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 09:02:46 -0500

      Hello,

      I am an Orbitz member. I would like to include a link to the Orbitz
      homepage in a text email to two members of my family. Per the new
      Orbitz Terms & Conditions, I hereby request permission to include such
      a link in an email to be sent March 12, 2005.

      If possible I would also like to secure a standing agreement permitting
      me to include text links to the Orbitz homepage in future emails,
      including but not limited to two such emails I intend to send in the
      month of April.

      Finally, because some of my friends and family are not yet Orbitz
      members, I request a "separate linking agreement" between Orbitz and my
      fucking email outbox, so that I may direct such persons to the Orbitz
      registration page at:
      https://www.orbitz.com/Secure/ViewNewMemberRe g?
      z=e57r&r=d&signInType=explicit

      Thank you for your attention.
      Sincerely,
      Me
      --
      four nine eighteen twenty-7 thirty-nine forty-7 fiftyeight sixty-nine seventy-9 eighty-8 one-hundred-and-nine one-twenty
  10. Re:How Does This Affect My Rights?? by Haeleth · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ahh, until their webmonkeys forget to put out the robots.txt file...

    I'm afraid they remembered: http://www.orbitz.com/robots.txt

    Oops, I just violated the Orbitz TOS. How careless of me. ;)

  11. This means no more Orbitz links on FARK! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    No more of the Orbitz news items, the Orbitz Photoshops, and the famed Orbitz boobies!

  12. Orbitz can suck my danglybitz by Dogtanian · · Score: 4, Funny

    You mean this link:- http://www.orbitz.com/robots.txt?

    Afraid they can't sue me for that. I've never visited their site (except for pop up ads which I didn't give permission for), so I haven't agreed to their silly EULA.

    That was so much fun, I think I'll do it again. http://www.orbitz.com/robots.txt !!! http://www.orbitz.com/robots.txt !!! http://www.orbitz.com/robots.txt !!!

    Neh neh nyeah-nyeah neh! :-P

    --
    "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  13. Fun with Google Bomb! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Say it with me, all together now: Shitty travel site. If enough of you say it with me, we can make it true!

  14. 404's... by AyeRoxor! · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've always wondered if 404's count as a deep link.

    Look at me orbitz!!!

    http://www.orbitz.com/global/I'm%20deep%20linking!

    I'll expect my summons in the mail.

  15. Re:Hmmm by Garve · · Score: 2, Funny

    http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=&q=+site:w ww.orbitz.com+orbitz/

    It appears Google has broken their terms and conditions 130,000 times - perhaps someone should inform them.

  16. Re:Hmmm by iamwahoo2 · · Score: 2, Funny
    Okay, but legally how are they allowed to prevent a third party from linking to anything they put on the web? It even says in the terms and conditions that I am supposed to ask there permission to link to their main website. Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not think anyone can tell me what to link to or not to link to from my website.

    http://www.orbitz.com/

    Oh damn, did I just break the law?

    http://www.orbitz.com/ http://www.orbitz.com/ http://www.orbitz.com/ http://www.orbitz.com/

    Holy shites!! It's out of control!

    http://www.orbitz.com/ http://www.orbitz.com/

  17. Re:Hmmm by Easybake · · Score: 2, Funny

    > First, Orbitz should be allowed to do whatever they want. This includes prohibiting deep linking.

    This would be like joining a poker game, then requiring that the dealer ask your permission every time she deals you a card.

  18. Re:They need to read the Ticketmaster case by Alzheimers · · Score: 4, Funny

    BTW, anyone who reads this post owes me $20, that's my TOS.

    That's okay, I'll just subtract it from the $350 "Proofreading Fee" you owe me for reading your post.

  19. Re:Copyright infringement? by nospmiS+remoH · · Score: 3, Funny

    Breakin the law!
    Breakin the law!
    Breakin the law!

    --
    !hoD
  20. Re:Here's the e-mail I sent to Orbitz. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's a very, um, professional sounding email. If I were looking for a good, levelheaded "Web Developer", I'd hire you in a minute. Good thing this post is archived online for future reference, with your name and all.

    Seriously, I hope you think you're this cool when you google it ten years from now. My college newspaper archived some of my old "letters to the editor" and they're damned embarrassing. Sounded great to me then though, and who knew then that this new internet thing would be here to keep them accessible forever.

  21. Re:They need to read the Ticketmaster case by Atragon · · Score: 2, Funny

    BTW, anyone who reads this post owes me $20, that's my TOS.

    That's okay, I'll just subtract it from the $350 "Proofreading Fee" you owe me for reading your post.

    And you both owe me a $699 reviewer fee for forming an opinion of your posts.