AlyssaS - 10:16 pm on Feb 13, 2011 (gmt 0)

talismon - don't know, but the issue of paid links was certainly discussed in detail by G and others in conferences in 2008 (it was a hot issue at the time). Perhaps before 2008 people would not have known, and perhaps newbies just starting out now don't know, but the webmasters for JC Penny over Christmas 2010 would certainly have known.