decaff - 9:58 pm on Oct 6, 2005 (gmt 0)

"...Just to clarify for all readers, Google considers it to be an update when they add a new element to their algorithm. But over the past years, they already have installed many elements and those elements come with "dials" that can be turned up and turned down..."

The reasons why Google has taken this path:
=> Manageability of the overall process
=> Using the "Dials" method..Google can "test" for new revenue opportunities in many different sectors against usability data as the "Dials" are tweaked ...
=> In the old days (this certainly dates me) ... when Lycos, Hotbot, AltaVista, Yahoo...where the early engines...it was so easy to know when the bots were coming and then unleash tons of optimized content for fast and furious rankings (and if you grabbed top spots in HotBot...you sat there for 2 months because of their update cycle)...Google has worked hard to break this with their "rolling updates" .... and multiple bot IPs and DataCenter Topology....plus the infamous "sandbox" <= I hate that phrase...
=> From Google's perspective...it is all about "data mining" the huge amount of data they generate daily (with a bunch of very cool interactive interfaces developed out in house for this)... and then work the "Dials" against their business model...for continued revenue growth..

Just some thoughts...feel free to agree or disagree (do I even have to ask? :-))