Suggested experiment:

Test if the hypothesis that the directory PR updates first.

[rfgdxm1]

A member of this board, I believe lazerzub, posted before that he had noticed the PR bars shown in the directory updating *before* the dance started. If correct, then this would be a harbinger of the update. Based on the announcement the Google Dance will begin within a day. However, as it may happen while I am sleeping, I may not be checking on this. Thus, I'll suggest that some of you should keep any eye on several Google directory cats and see if you notice the PR update before the dance begins. I'd suggest some large cats, where almost certainly some sites will go up or down.

[lazerzubb]

Hehe just got a personal message when i viewed a directory :)

"ok" to you too ;)

Not sure this applies each time though, from what i can remember it doesn't.

[Powdork]

rfgdxm1,
I'm on it, but I don't know how things will go with the possibility if the rdf going through too. Hell, I have no idea how things will go anyway (I've proven that theory over and over).;)

[rfgdxm1]

This is the first time ever that Google has announced the update within a specific timeframe. As I write this, we know it should happen in the next 23 hours. Thus, if a number of eyeballs are checking the directory over the next day, if PR does update there before the dance then somebody ought to spot it. This is the only known positive harbinger of an update the I know of. Fresh tags disappearing are correlated with the update, but all this is useful for is as a predictor the update *won't* happen. If I see fresh tags, I take that as a sign there will be no update soon.

[daroz]

we know it should happen in the next 23 hours

And in all honesty, this is probibly *exactly* why Google doesn't announce it's updates.

Lets all realize that this is a guideline, and may slip...

(And most importantly let not lynch GG. Not until I find out how my ranking improved - hint hint) :)

[diddlydazz]

<-- If I see fresh tags, I take that as a sign there will be no update soon.

ditto to that.

I will keep an eye on it (when im awake ;o) it will be interesting to know for sure.

Dazz

[pardo]

I see slightly differences in PR/ranking on the directory-sj webserver in several categories. I did not notice new/added websites in the directory so far.

Can anybody confirm this?

[lazerzubb]

pardo

www-sj is a old version.
So no there is no update on that one.

[rfgdxm1]

>And in all honesty, this is probibly *exactly* why Google doesn't announce it's updates.

My guess the reason this Google representative made an exception to the rule about saying when the update would be is because this is an unusual case where the update is much later than usual. He did this to allay fears and suspicions that Google was somehow hopelessly "broke" or such. I wouldn't expect that this will become a habit of Google.

[Jesse_Smith]

::had noticed the PR bars shown in the directory updating *before* the dance started. If correct, then this would be a harbinger of the update.

Yes, the PR bar DOES change before the dance. Just 10 minutes ago another webmaster took two screenshows of this Google category [directory.google.com]. He took them just a few minutes appart. For the first image the top two links had the same PR, then for the second one the second link went up one PR, ending up as the top link instead of the second.

Right now it's back to the way it originally was.

Edit: er no, now it's changed again....

[edited by: Jesse_Smith at 3:30 am (utc) on Mar. 7, 2003]

[confiden]

it was me :

I refresh, and after each refresh first sites change PR.

<snipped>

What do you think?

[edited by: Marcia at 4:14 am (utc) on Mar. 7, 2003]
[edit reason] sorry, no URLs please [/edit]

[diddlydazz]

Hi Confiden,

Welcome to Webmasterworld [webmasterworld.com] :o)

nice find, it could mean that things are beginning to happen although no-one is sure ;o)

Dazz

[rfgdxm1]

Yep, I'd call that proof. Hypothesis confirmed.

[diddlydazz]

looks like no sleep again tonight, or should i say morning ;o)

when did you first notice this Confiden?

if it is a pre-text to an update it would be handy if we could get some sort of time scale between the two stages.

or could it be the RDF dump causing it?

of course this is just speculation, we don't know what it means.....yet ;o)

Dazz

[Jesse_Smith]

It's not a new dump. I checked the categories that I edit and none of my changes show up there. I think it's only the PR changing.

[confiden]

I got this 10:21 PM EST TIME MONTREAL. I was just browsing for fun and then BAM, this! So I shot these screenshots! This is so exciting! Jesse saw it too, awasome!

[diddlydazz]

<-- It's not a new dump I checked the categories that I edit and none of my changes show up there

thanks jesse that puts that out the question then.

googleguy has just mentioned that "the index is going to be coming out real soon"

[webmasterworld.com ]

always a good sign, although soon doesn't narrow it down much :o)

Dazz