Auto-notification of Google update

[lazyz]

If the best way to tell if the dance has started is to check the number of links to Yahoo (which now stands at 657,000), has someone written a script that periodically checks those links and then simply sends an e-mail letting them know that number of links has changed? Seems like a good idea? I wouldn't have to wait for that post "The dance has started" post.

[dvduval]

Maybe there could be an email list. When the dance starts, send an email. Something like the CNN breaking news list.

[bjseiler]

Seems like a pretty easy script to write. If anyone is interested, I'll have one of my developers do it.

[EliteWeb]

:P heheeh would be a fun list. :) but we always love the posts here.

[creative craig]

I agree with EliteWeb, i'd miss all the false alarms :)

Craig

[foy]

you'd have to run that script through a cron job or are you supposed to check it manually?

[bjseiler]

I would definitely run it through a cron job. Check the page, scrape it, compare value, if no change -> exit, if change -> kick off alerts.

If simple scraping does not work, I would probably spit lynx output into a text file

(lynx -source [google.com...] > textFile.txt)

parse textFile.txt for "of about <b> xxx"

extract xxx and compare it to the current xxx, if changed -> etc., etc.

Seems pretty easy.

[stuntdubl]

Sorry to be a naysayer.....
but isn't google pretty much against all automated queries?

I think at any given moment someone who posts to this board is probably checking their google dance tool to see if 'IT HAS BEGUN!'...

I like the idea though....

I'm signed up on a list that anyone can send a 'it has begun' message.....and there about 5 false alarms every time.....

[nancyb]

Sounds like a great idea! But, woe, I'd miss all the false alarms ;)

[jatar_k]

bjseiler,

If you could find a way to do away with all of the false alarms you could go onto my favour owed list, probably for a few others too. ;)

[olias]

Maybe this is the point at which Googleguy should take note, a bunch of webmasters are considering running automated queries - which is of course bad - but if we knew we were going to get the nod from GG as soon as they start an update it will do away with all the bad automated queries....

Just a thought ;)

[Nick_W]

Hi Olias, Damn fine idea!

What harm? Google fires of the emails, we're all ecstatic, great PR fro them and they don' have to give any pre-warning....

Come on GG let's do it ;)

Nick

[WebGuerrilla]

Anyone who wanted to develop such a notification tool could simply sign up and download the Google API developer's kit [google.com].

It allows you 1000 queries per day. That should be more than enough to satisfy all the update junkies...:)

[bjseiler]

I gave it to one of my programmers to think about. Maybe we can have something up around next month. I probably would do it from an ip and a domain that I really do not care about so I don't get spanked by google. I would probably want to run the query through www, www2, www3 and figure out some way to filter misses so there are no false alarms. Anyways, we'll see.

[Sasquatch]

I can hear the conspiricy theories now. "I signend up with google to get update alerts and then I got a penalty! They must be checking sites that sign up!"

[digitalghost]

Conspiracy theorists would be well advised to sign up with a hotmail account. ;)

One of the dance tool sites will send you an email when the dance begins. Perfectly useless however if you're camping out at WebmasterWorld waiting for the Official Update thread.

[SlyOldDog]

e-mail is far too slow anyway.

How about if the script sends an SMS directly to my mobile? There are plenty of free sms centres on the web.

No need to disclose your IP then :)

[foy]

who cares! I'm not going to get a mousepad :(

[Giacomo]

Hmmm... Nice idea.

BTW, no need to use the APIs with so many Web Page Change Detection Services [staff.philau.edu] around. ;)
---
PS: Beware of false alarms. :)

[Chico_Loco]

I'm working on a way to get rid of those fake alerts .. But the tool hasn't been my number 1 priority, its just something I did on a day off - but your welcome anyway!

[martin]

>I gave it to one of my programmers to think about. Maybe we can have something up around next month.

If I were you I would have already fired them. I can code that in less than a minute (To GoogleGuy: I won't).

[stuntdubl]

Didn't mean to offend you chico.....
it is a very good tool, and I don't mind deleting a few emails....because as someone mentioned, I'm camped out here for the update thread every time I get online anyhow......

It's great to check new listings out though.....

[foy]

If I were you I would have already fired them. I can code that in less than a minute (To GoogleGuy: I won't).

I'm pretty sure his programmers have other things in prio than realising this funny script ;)

and besides, it might take you a lil bit longer than "a minute"

[Sasquatch]

I would fire anyone that would try to put into production an email listserv in less than a minute. Even if it was already coded.

[martin]

>I would fire anyone that would try to put into production an email listserv in less than a minute. Even if it was already coded.

Ooops, not reading between the lines. I meant the Google check part of the thing.

[Monus]

I have made a script like this (integrated in a script).
But the problem is that I can not run a cron job on my site for to email all the persons. :(

[theposter]

This is what i use all the time.

<snip>

Good and clean interface and shows me what i want. Looks like the page is popular, cos the last time I saw it, there was no advertising on it.

[edited by: Marcia at 12:58 am (utc) on Oct. 26, 2002]
[edit reason] no tools URLs pleae, per Google forum charter [/edit]

[Chico_Loco]

I've just added the API . For those of you who know what I'm talking about -- The alerts are now sent only when the pages show different results for a "link:www.yahoo.com" query..

I hope google doesn't mind this - it's always been on my mind they might be heavy handed, but I think these type of "tools" very much so contribute to their success.

Anyway GoogleGuy (if your listening), please please sticky me if you have a problem with the tool, coz it's not a main part of my site, just an "add-on" and I don't want my site banned. It would come offline at your request! Also, if you don't mind, a sticky message stating so would put my mind at ease!

Thanks

[edited by: Chico_Loco at 2:44 pm (utc) on Oct. 26, 2002]

[dirson]

Hi Chico_Loco.

I've signed up on your alert service.

One question: how do you use Google API to detect www2 or www3?

cheers

[martin]

Chico Loco,

the Google API is for personal use only... that means that Google minds if you're using it to notify people when the update comes.

Dirson, adding a Host: www2.google.com header will suffice.