In his May 31 post Experiments in Delinkification, Nicholas Carr (RoughType.com) writes about not using hyperlinks in posts and other online writings. Hyperlinks can be big distraction. Sometimes even preventing you to read a complete post or piece of text. Because – whether you like it or not – your brain sometimes forces you to click on them. Making you move from one text to another and another and another.
I agree with Nicholas. Two or three hyperlinks in a text is okay. But if there are many hyperlinks, they can be very distractive. Especially if these hyperlinks bring you to a page with even more hyperlinks.
A good example of a hyperlink overdose is Wikipedia where sometimes half of the text or more is hyperlinks. Reading a text on Wikipedia your brain goes in overdrive, making it almost impossible not to click on the hyperlinks.
Although I am not a heavy linker, I think it is a good idea to put the links I want to share with you below the text as a footnote to the post.
Some of the reactions to Nicholas’ post are quite furious. It is clear not everybody agrees with him. What do you think? Are you still able to read a page on Wikipedia without touching your mouse (other than to scroll down)?
Related links:
> Nicholas Carr’s post Experiements in delinkification
> RoughType.com
> Wikipedia hyperlink overdose example
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