Trackbacks exist for the purpose of noting something fairly simple and straightforward: someone has referenced something you wrote.
Thus, when you send a trackback ping to another weblog, the assumption is that you are directly referencing that message. In other words, it's meant as a way of trading links. You link to something I said, and I provide the trackback so my readers can go see what you said about what I wrote. It's supposed to promote synergy between weblogs.
Lately, several people have been sending tracback pings to things written here on Dean's World, but without actually linking to the articles. I usually let it go, but a number of webloggers have been doing this lately.
Just a note on etiquette folks: if you send a trackback ping, it's considered polite to include a link in your message which notes something like that. Even if it's just something simple like, "This article was inspired by something written on Dean's World."
No big deal, not angry with anyone, just letting people know that it's considered impolite to send a trackback ping if a link isn't included with it.
I didn't even know you could do that. I am a MT know-nothing though :). I hope I haven't been inadvertently doing that.
It's impossible to do on accident. You have to specifically put the trackback URL into the "URLs to Ping" box while not linking to the actual article itself in your text in order to do that. In other words, you can't possibly have done it on accident. Don't worry about it. ;-)
One way of "accidentally" doing it would be to dramatically alter your post, to the point that it doesn't link the same things, after initially publishing it.
I guess I'm not one of "those people" then ;).
You're much too kind, Dean. I ranted about this a while back, when I was actually still writing substantive content. Some may ping w/o linking out of ignorance, but I think the bulk of those who ping in that way are deliberately seeking out posts of similar topics on more trafficked sites -marketing, to put it simply. I don't automatically go to trackbacks to my site, but most of them, and any posts I find that don't have an interior link to my site get the trackback deleted. No railing, no nasty email - just a deletion. And a testy attitude about that blog henceforth.
Susanna,
I agree with you. I have started deleting trackbacks on my articles - when my piece isn't linked. I think it rather rude to set a trackback and not reference the article.
I just set MT to auto-ping when there's a link. Seems to work fine, and obviously it's not even able to falsely ping someone, as far as I can tell. I've never personally gotten a non-spam trackback ping, so I can only imagine how annoying it is.
I was wondering about the trackbacks since one day in the future, I repeat, the future, I may get a blog. You are diplomatic Dean and I like that. Running a blog seems to take a good deal of thought like running a newspaper.
I have been reviewing many blogs in considering what I would want to have mine represent. Being an imperfect mother, as I'm sure my kids would tell you and working on being a long distance grandma, I think about that in my blog.
I ALWAYS learn something of VALUE and some, well, let's just say, ahhh... when I come to Deans World, thanks for explaining TrackBack. I bet you never thought you would hear that today!
"It's impossible to do on accident."
Well, that's a relief; I was worrying about the exact same thing. :)
Since I am the supposed enemy being discussed here, I have just trackbacked this post, and no offence or pun, but I haven't mentioned your entry in mine. Please do read it. Thanks :)