pageoneresults - 3:21 pm on May 18, 2011 (gmt 0)

I recognize your example as belonging in a .htaccess file but otherwise don't know what it does.

It takes the referrers from the referring domain and sends them to a destination of your choice. Depending on the HTTP Response you serve, determines the outcome.

I bring it up because I've used it in the past to get unwanted inbound links removed.

Would the code above do anything to make me look better in Google's eyes?

I'm not sure. When visitors on the other site click the link(s), they are served a 403 server header and a special message just for them. We've gone as far as customizing the message for the referrer. I'm sure Google gets wind of all that, just not sure how they handle it.

This is more of a brute force method of getting inbound links removed and not something that many are going to go out of their way to do. I do it because I can and it's fun to watch the folks on the other end remove their links. This works wonders in an ORM scenario. :)