9
$\begingroup$

Sometimes, when answering a question, I have taken advantage of the availability of online calculators. Theses calculators do specific and useful calculations like determine the grams of water in air based on relative humidity.

In many instances, these calculators are part of business websites as a customer service.

If I attach a link, then I'm attaching a link to a business which could be misconstrued as using the Stack Exchange to promote a business.

Is this an issue? Is there a Stack Exchange policy on this?

$\endgroup$
3
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Interesting question. No idea of policy here, but my instinct would be that as long as the person linking to it does not have an unmentioned interest in it then it's probably OK. We do, after all, allow links to YouTube and that's certainly a commercial website. $\endgroup$
    – StephenG - Help Ukraine
    Commented Jan 30, 2023 at 22:50
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ part of business websites as a customer service I think it’s a bad idea because these links seem (to me) likely to break after a few years. Also these sites often don’t explain how they calculate what they calculate. $\endgroup$
    – Ghoster
    Commented Jan 31, 2023 at 5:13
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Does this include thing like Wolfram Alpha? $\endgroup$
    – Federico Poloni
    Commented Feb 3, 2023 at 22:24

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7
$\begingroup$

Wolfram is a business. I'm not going to stop posting links to various useful stuff on Wolfram Alpha (so long as it remains free).

Many Journals are also published by businesses, but I guess we have to reference journal papers too.

The test is surely just whether the link is relevant and useful?

$\endgroup$
1
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ ... and whether the poster has any undisclosed links to the business in question. $\endgroup$
    – Emilio Pisanty
    Commented Feb 14, 2023 at 17:23

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .