Hi, this has been a really interesting and informative discussion. I wonder if I might be able to redirect it a bit back to my original question, with the understanding that, as the discussion has made clear, a PURL or Handle is not an ideal solution?

If, for the sake of argument, you are dealing with software which provides permanent URLs (say, for example, DSpace's out-of-the-box use of the Handle system), would it be desirable to make these persistent links actual hyperlinks, when they are presented to the user?

Here's my take on it:

> > > My feeling is, making the URL an active hyperlink implies confidence
> > > in the PURL/Handle, and provides the user with functionality they
> > > expect of a hyperlink (right or option-click to copy, or bookmark).
> 
> :-) Just to be clear, I think this is "a good thing", and is a
> compelling argument for making PURLs/Handles active links.

Thoughts?

--
HARDY POTTINGER <[log in to unmask]>
University of Missouri Library Systems
http://lso.umsystem.edu/~pottingerhj/
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