Napoleon - 1:14 pm on Aug 5, 2002 (gmt 0)

>> Why *wouldn't* people with multiple sites link them all together? This is simply natural self-promotion <<

Well of course they would... and did... and suffered. And yes, unfairly.

All of which comes around to a point I have bored people with for months: if Google doesn't like a link, it should IGNORE it, not PENALIZE it.

With that policy, they would negate any advantage for the bad guys, whilst at the same time not punishing people for quite naturally linking their sites.

The solution is to address the problem (possible 'dodgy' links) not to dispense Google-Justice on an epic scale. I could never understand, and still cannot, why they ever wanted to hand down penalties instead of just addressing the individual links. It isn't a good decision and is out of character.

On the 'no penalty' claims, they are edging towards L$ type double-speak. Come on Google - you are better than that (it is also out of character). There is still something in place (a penalty) and you do yourself no favors by denying it. In the long run, if you really must maintain the penalty, you will get more respect by saying so. Don't let yourself down.