Brett_Tabke - 9:12 am on Feb 11, 2000 (gmt 0)

Here is what they are doing: they are changing the submission form values. Do a search and then reload the exact same page (don't close your browser) from a different IP and the page will be the same except 1 or two of the form values change. Here is part of the string: M=MC&DV=0&LG=any&DC=10&DE=2&BT=L.

A few of those values "float". I believe the string is time base encoded and ip hash encoded. Sure, you have your standard search values and a few power search values, but the rest of those are not needed. I've not studied it close enough to tell what the pattern is, but the string values change with the hour of the day. Some times you can do searches and see entirely new form/value pairs popup (sq, xt, and zx are popular)

Why would they do that? So that any click throughs coming BACK to Hotbot that are "stale", they throw out those in the direct *hit counting. Any click over say, (guessing) an hour from the time the search is processed is thrown out.

I've about given up on click through chasing. It just isn't working anymore because of those Hotbot changes.