TheMadScientist - 4:53 pm on Apr 13, 2011 (gmt 0)

I guess I should answer the original question too...

In other words, since people can still visit no-indexed pages, does the Google algorithm include them in its evaluation of the overall content and quality of the site?

That's a really good question ... I don't have, and haven't read, any data about this since the Panda change ... I really don't want to make any guesses right now, because that's all it would be.