@flamed While I agree with the idea that the hyperlink is a basic inalienable feature of the web, I can't help but wonder if the existence of gating mechanisms (e.g. accounts, paywalls, etc.) also helps break the fabric of the web in a more meaningful fashion.

If you include a link, but your content and that link is gated, does the link and that content exist as part of the web? Should links be bidirectional? I haven't fully explored this line of thinking. I'm just musing on "open web."