Monday afternoon I received an e-mail from the so called “web-master” of the Makro (Makro Cash and Carry) stores with a request to remove my links to the Makro website. If you look in the left column you will find a list of links and in the ‘shopping’ section are two hyperlinks to the ‘folder’ of the makro. This is a bi-weekly updated advertisement with all the promotions they offer to their customers. As a frequent Makro customer I made a link in the list instead of having to use a bookmark all the time. So now mr. Lex Veldhuis of the Makro requests me in an e-mail to remove these links. In a polite reply I asked the man the reasons behind this request, which was answered with a mail repeating the request to remove the links but no explanation whatsoever. To give the man a chance to explain himself and convince me of removal of my links I made clear that his reaction was not an answer to my question, so gave him another chance to provide me that answer. This time mr Lex Veldhuis became a little more agitated and replied in a rather arrogant sounding e-mail stating “I don’t owe you an explanation” and “an answer is absolutely not relevant to you”. In case mr Veldhuis doesn’t know relevancy is determined by the receiver/listener and not predefined by the person having to answer the question. Of course there is no relevancy in that answer because there is no relevant answer to the question anyways. In this e-mail mr Veldhuis concluded with the message that if the links weren’t removed by thursday “they would take legal action against me”. I am curious what that action will be, because according to dutch law and previous cases this is perfectly legal, this website has NO commercial goal nor does it make negative remarks about the Makro. Contrary I provide a link to their advertisement without anything back. Why? because it’s easy for me to just click there to see whats on sale. And I know some friends, who visit my website, do the same thing. In my last reply to mr Veldhuis I offered him a last chance to explain in a clear way what is illegal in making a hyperlink to a website, and if he could not send back an e-mail with an answer this time I asked him not to reply because I would recognize this as unsollicited e-mail, which is according to privacy laws illegal. I will keep you updated. Here is a link to the e-mail conversations in dutch, to go with Adam Curry “There are no Secrets” ;)

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