[Air-l] advice please:online citations

[denise]

> With disc and tape memory almost free, there is no excuse for not
> filing a reference copy -- just as we file hardcopy of journal
> articles.  Authors that use online information should retain a copy of
> that information, preferably the entire page.  If that was done, then
> the author could provide the information on request, or if known the
> URL that currently has the document.  To really do the job right the
> author could maintain a web page with information redirecting the
> reader or providing a single click request for a filed copy of
> "disappeared" web pages


I usually work on the principle that if i have cited something then it was a
resource worth saving, and you can bet that if i don't save my citation it
will be THE one that i will need or want in the future, ...mostly i keep
print copies as well as disk copies (i find it easier to curl up on the sofa
with the article, a pencil and a brandy than to do all my reading at my
desk!)

when i buy a new text one of the first things i do is to trawl the online
citations...them being the easiest to access...and it is very disappointing
when a promising url is dead......but i have had a fair amount of success in
emailing ppl and asking them for hard copy......i seem to come across less
dead links these days and thought perhaps that was due to more familiarity
with the medium, because:-
a] as ppl realise how annoying dead links are and
b] as ppl more commonly have their own webpages
they will try to improve matters, and information may become more static

DENISE.M.CARTER
DOCTORAL STUDENT
CASS
UNIVERSITY OF HULL
EMAIL: d.m.carter at cas.hull.ac.uk
OR: denisecarter at denisecarter.net
Web Pages: http://www.denisecarter.net