antonaf - 3:34 am on May 30, 2005 (gmt 0)

I'm running Firefox, and installed a toolbar extensions. Like others, I'm seeing Google PR greyed out now. I don't know how the G-PR bar actually works, but doesn't the extension or toolbar have to make a SEPARATE inquiry to G to get the data? If so, then maybe all those extra queries put too much of an extra load on their servers / bandwidth. Since there's no obvious payback, cutting out toolbar PR might just be a simple cost / bandwidth saving stragegem. Their internal (real) pagerank would remain in place, subject to algorithm tweeks, and hidden from all in any case. Any thoughts on that? -Larry

I doubt this theory. This is Google we are talking about. Not a moms & pops site...Google has datacenters and extremely good load balancing. They serve billions of search request, I can't see them having a problem with PR request or bandwidth.

I really find it hard to believe that Google would drop PageRank without making a MAJOR announcement to go along with it. I'm actually a little surprised that so many WebmasterWorld members are speculating this is what happened. Google is a public company now ... they don't go making major changes to their system without a press release. Millions use the Google toolbar, not just webmasters, so it's highly unlikely that PageRank would be phased out of the toolbar without an announcement. Besides, many of us in this forum are Google shareholders and if Google had planned to drop PR we would know about it. This is a temporary situation or an upgrade, not an elimination. Also keep in mind that Google still has numerous references to PageRank on their site, including the "PageRank Explained" information on google.com/technology. If they were doing away with it, that page wouldn't be there anymore.

This is not a major change for Google or its investors. Google does not profit from PR. This is a major change for many webmasters and SEO's because this is how some prove that their site is popular and well-liked by Google. Many shady and questionable webmasters/SEO's profit from Google PR, which is a violation of Google terms. Google has long become frustrated with these attempts by webmasters/SEO's and possibly simply realized that PR is not a neccessity and never has been, therefore disabling it will be for the good. It was only meant to be informational and not profitable as some has made it. Since Google does not profit from it, then it does not have to be a decision which needs to be commented on or a decision which needs to be voted on by shareholders. The change is rather small in Google's overall enterprise, probably not even a departmental change.