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Display PageRank

next to website link

         

NeedScripts

8:56 pm on Sep 18, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



In our directory I am thinking of setting up another feature were PageRank for that particular link will be displayed next to it. However before I do that, I just wanted to ask if you any of you guys are aware of any problems/issues that might occur? I mean I have seen few sites doing like page rank search and other sites checking page rank via some script.. etc. but still any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

NeedScripts

8:52 pm on Sep 19, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



~ anyone ~?

matt21811

10:17 pm on Sep 19, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Only two problems that I can think of:

Getting the current PageRank can be difficult. Google try to make this hard.

Google may think you are abusing its trademark and ask you to stop displaying it, or just sue you.

NeedScripts

4:20 pm on Sep 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Getting the current PageRank can be difficult. Google try to make this hard.

What if that is not a problem.

Google may think you are abusing its trademark and ask you to stop displaying it, or just sue you.

I wonder how other websites are doing so, without getting in trouble? Also, I am not trying to say I own PageRank, and do plan to give proper credit to Google for it, but am just wanting to display PageRank next to the link.

~ help I am stuck ~

Hanu

4:54 pm on Sep 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



NeedScripts,

LOL. If you know all about PageRank why do you have to ask this question? Using a tool that was created by reverse engineering the Google Toolbar DLL you might violate Google's TOS. Google doesn't want your proper credit and it doesn't want to be abused. It's up to you wether they catch you or not.

Anyway, here's a hint:

WWW::Google::PageRank is a Perl module that gives you the toolbar PR value for any given URL.

NeedScripts

7:42 pm on Sep 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



LOL. If you know all about PageRank why do you have to ask this question?

Sorry if I gave any hint about PageRank not being a problem or being a problem. What I was trying to answer was *method for displaying* pagerank is not a problem.

I hope this helps.

nalin

10:15 pm on Sep 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Technically displaying pagerank is not necessarily an issue.

Legally and (arguably) ethically I would steer clear of it. Brett recently commented (msg 2) [webmasterworld.com] on the definative ability of google to distinguished the cracked algo from real requests. I wouldnt want any of my work to be hosted on an IP associated (repeatedly and regularly) with violating googles proprietary formats.

pageoneresults

10:30 pm on Sep 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



What would be the purpose of displaying PageRank next to the listings?

BigDave

10:37 pm on Sep 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



There would not likely be any legal action beyod a C&D, but if you in any way depend on google for any of your traffic, they can cut you off.

NeedScripts

12:07 am on Sep 23, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



What would be the purpose of displaying PageRank next to the listings?

Just another piece of information about the link, nothing more. I mean we are having about 30,000+ links in our db (including those not published) and am just wanting to display additional information (without causing any harm to directory).

There would not likely be any legal action beyod a C&D, but if you in any way depend on google for any of your traffic, they can cut you off.

That is the same thing I am thinking of.

I think I might write an email to Google, and see if I am able to get an ok from them.

Thanks to all of you for the very helpful replies.

kaled

1:06 am on Sep 23, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Problem 1: Google gets upset due to excessive requests.
Solution: PR is updated infrequently, so cache the results and only ask google for the PR, once a week, or whatever.

Problem 2: Google trademarks infringement, etc.
Solution: Use another name and change the color of the bar, etc.

Google would have a hard time in court and wouldn't bother suing. On the other hand, they could remove your site from the index if you were foolish enough to not cover your tracks.

On the subject of Google being able to identify legit requests from hacked requests, there may be some truth in this, but not as much as Google would like us to believe. Depending on what entry points are available in the GoogleToolbar DLL, on a Windows system, it might be possible to use the DLL itself to send the requests - these would almost certainly be indistinguishable from legit requests.

Kaled.

hdpt00

6:11 am on Sep 23, 2004 (gmt 0)



Heck, you could have a script that runs on some spoofed IP or even on another server you don't care about. Run that baby once a week, then plop the results into the DB you need them in on your server you don't want to be banned on. Boom!

If they catch it they ban your other server, big deal, keep getting new ones with different IPs.

Doesn't seem like to much of a risk and with this method your main site won't get screwed if you follow the other advice and cover your tracks well enough and don't outright say, "checkout google's PR for this site" type of stuff.

Hanu

3:26 pm on Sep 23, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



When worrying about getting caught, keep this in mind:

The Toolbar DLL uses the HTTP protocol to communicate with toolbarqueries.google.com. Some big firms use proxy servers to provide internet access to their employees. The Toolbar has to communicate through the proxy as well. Sometimes they have thousands of users hidden behind a single proxy IP address. How on earth is G to find out whether it's a PR-bot or just a big proxy?

Run your script four times a year - the PR updates won't be more often anyway.

Query one url every 5 seconds on average, randomizing the delay between 0.5 + X seconds and 9.5 + X seconds.

Pause the script between 7 pm and 9 am.

Make X a function of the time of day, X being 0 at noon and 10 in the morning and evening.

NeedScripts

4:10 pm on Sep 23, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



well there might be many way.. but I am not wanting to find a sneaky way.. but instead do it only if google permits it. Cuz doing it if it is allowed is better than the other options.

BigDave

5:10 pm on Sep 23, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



You all are suggesting ways that you can get away with the automated accesses, which is probably true, but the problem here is the site that is displaying PR to the whole world.

There is no way to spoof the address of the site that is *displaying* the results.

Hanu

8:47 am on Sep 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



What's the problem with displaying PageRank? With PR updates once every couple of months, the values might have as well been typed in manually. Into the HTML, I mean. That isn't against the TOS, is it?

Maybe G does it the same way and that's why it takes them ages to update the darn toolbar PR. On the other hand, in dubio pro reo doesn't seem to be G's motto. G bans sites if it feels like they violate the TOS. It doesn't matter whether there is actual evidence.

internetheaven

9:21 am on Sep 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Google doesn't want your proper credit and it doesn't want to be abused.

And you are who?

The best way to find out if you can use it without the risk of getting banned is to email or telephone Google (sticky me if you need the number). But, I'm willing to bet they say no. So if you're waiting for approval you're not going to get it any time soon so just go ahead and use the sneaky stuff being suggested in this thread.

Hanu

9:35 am on Sep 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Thanks for the offer but, uh ..., that would be a no!