Brett_Tabke - 4:23 am on Jul 1, 2000 (gmt 0)

Hey Kim, thank you for stopping in. I've always enjoyed reading you and look forward to your new newsletter.

Air, that's true, it was mostly the moderators fault. Nothing like that will ever be allowed to happen here. If you ever think that it has, I want to know, and the problem will be corrected asap. This system is here 100% for the benefit of the users - there is no other reason for it's existence.
Anyway, returning to topic.

>why not 404 it, or something similar?

You can't afford the hit if is a spider you are dealing with - you have to give it something valid. It could just be link checking.

>re affiliate site banning.

This has me very concerned. While I don't do the affiliate thing myself, numerous customers are into the game in one degree or another. How long before the se's go after affiliates they don't care for? Does alta bury your page if it runs into a Yahoo or Hotbot search box? Have they done it already?