I've been adding links to the DDI Compendium in my questions and answers. However, not everyone has access to the compendium.
I find those links very helpful when discussing specific D&D4 concepts/powers/whatever. I'm no longer certain that the links are a good thing if not everyone can use them so I thought I'd bring this to the community.
My current thoughts are that we should at least include a visible reminder or hint that the link may not be usable for everyone.
What say you?
My vote is to keep the links in the answer as a supplemental resource, as long as you include a summary or cite the relevant bits so the question/answer stands on its own for those of us without a subscription. I'd assume that those who have a DDI subscription would appreciate the direct link. Maybe use a "... referenced-thing ([DDI]), ..." format where the "DDI" is the linked text so it's easy to see where it will take you.
The times I've really disliked an answer with DDI links has been when the meat of the answer is on the other side of the link without much explanation (and I've only seen maybe one or two of those). But I tend to feel that way about any answer that is only linking to other content without any context.
Being the author of the answer linked by yhw42 I just have to add something to the discussion.
Disclaimer: none of the following points are directed at yhw42 or meant as personal attacks/insults but should be rather seen as my typical cynical way of expressing my opinion.
I don't think my answer was bad or insufficient. It provided exact information on how and where to find the answer to the question. It was a single mouse click away, and the thread - on a publicly accessible forum - I linked to even had almost the same title. Perhaps it's me being a programmer, but I can't see any value to redundantly repeat the same information over and over at different places if you can just link to a single instance of the data. Also, being able to use a strong pointer in the right direction to make the last step to find the answer to a question is something I expect from any halfway intelligent human being.
I don't think that the purpose of this page should be to spoon-feed people who either lack the very basic skills of the modern age (e.g. using a frigging search machine) or are simply too lazy to bother with any attempt to find an answer on their own (funny fact: I found the thread I linked in my answer by using the search on WotC's forum). Providing answers to questions, yes. But spoon-feed or provide access to pay-to-use services for free? Not in my book. If someone is unable or unwilling to follow a link to a thread where the answer is literally provided in the third post, then I think all hope is lost.
I could understand the argument if I had only linked the DDI data, thus preventing any non-subscribers from making good use of the answer, but I also provided the answer to the question in free form. Therefore I cannot really see where the problem is.
Further, if we're making a fuss about links to DDI data and WotC forum threads, how are we going to handle links to any off-site information? Do we really want to quote hundreds of words just in case someone doesn't bother with checking the link? What about links to forums where you can only read the first post in a thread when you're not registered? Or forums where you need to register in order to see any links or embedded pictures or attachments? At some point we will run into issues with Fair Use when we're quoting whole articles left and right.
Also, especially with WotC I'd rather avoid quoting any stuff from DDI literally in an answer. Considering that WotC isn't really reluctant to dish out Cease and Desist orders (*cough* Ema's character sheets *cough*) I'd rather not want to get rpg.se.com in their line of fire.
Conclusion: my vote is for providing the DDI link and if possible an alternative link that is accessible to everybody (e.g. a thread in the WotC forums where the same question/problem is discussed). But I'm voting against simply copy&paste'ing material from DDI into the answer because WotC may well view that as a use of their material that is not covered by Fair Use.
:). Also, I did not mean to single you out, but your post was the first I'd encountered with a DDI link where the answer I needed wasn't in the text (I admit, I'm lazy!). I did use the second link and found the answer I was looking for.
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