Pagerank queries - the <rk> parameter

What do such figures as Rank_1:1:6 Rank_1:1:5 mean?

[selomelo]

We already know that toolbar PR is in fact an historical figure. When you query google for current PR, you get some mysterious figures such as:

Rank_1:1:6 Rank_1:1:5 Rank_1:1:4 Rank_1:1:4 Rank_1:1:5 Rank_1:1:6 Rank_1:1:5 Rank_1:1:0 Rank_1:1:1 Rank_1:1:5 Rank_1:1:2 Rank_1:1:3 Rank_1:1:0 Rank_1:1:0 Rank_1:1:3

These figures are for a site that has a current toolbar of PR4.

I searched the web for an explanation, but failed to get a good one.

Is there any idea as to what all these magical numbers mean?

[stealthcow]

this article explains what the numbers mean, as well as explaining about page rank prediction and how it works...

<snip>

[edited by: lawman at 11:22 am (utc) on Feb. 17, 2006]
[edit reason] No URL Drops Per TOS #13 [/edit]

[Hester]

Sorry, ignore.

[Dayo_UK]

That article is wrong.

That is not what the tool does.

The tool looks for the www.example.com in the xml file and returns the <rk> value for that page - none of this add up the last digit and divide by the number of results.

Also the article argues that as the <rk> values do not match the current PR then the tool is wrong - as PR is out of date then that covers that argument. We are talking about possible furture PR - not current

Poor article.

Shame the guy actually missed what the tool does :/ - as if he anaylsed properly he may have been on the right track.

[stealthcow]

If you read the full article, and look at Googles XML Reference you will see that <RK> has nothing to do with page rank...

The article explains it fully

[Dayo_UK]

The article is wrong though.

The <rk> value is vague in the Google definition.

"RK Definition: Provides a general rating of the relevance of the search result"

The RK value does not change on different search results for a start - eg pulling up webmasterworld in a webmasterworld search or in a search for PubCon are Registered Trademarks will result in the same RK value.

[edited by: Dayo_UK at 1:42 pm (utc) on Feb. 16, 2006]

[stealthcow]

it isnt vague, the RK value shows the relevance of the search result in relation to the search term.. and has nothing to do with page rank

so if you search for "www.yoursite.com" the RK value is how relevant the search result - not to do with page rank

[Dayo_UK]

stealthcow

I edited my post sorry.

As above - the RK value does not change, even if the search term changes.

It is vague term and certainly does not change with regards to search term - it is a static value for the page.

[stealthcow]

regardless of whether it changes or not - the pagerank predictor tools use this number to guess the future pagerank, and as these numbers do not relate to pagerank, then these tools are clearly a waste of time...

[Dayo_UK]

You have not proved that it does not relate to page rank though.

The case for it relating to page rank is stronger than not - the article does nothing to change that fact.

What we seem to have is a static figure (although changes on dc) for a page that looks like it is a ranking figure - this figure is very very close to PR on a lot of occasions. (although PR is very out of date)

[edited by: Dayo_UK at 1:50 pm (utc) on Feb. 16, 2006]

[selomelo]

Dayo_UK:

Yes, you are right in that the xml relates to the search, and not to the domain.

I rechecked, and perplexed at first, since I got discrepant values. Then, I noticed that I am checking two different datacenters: 72... for "hello" query, 66.249.. for domain query. ): When checked with the same DC, identical values are obtained.

Thank you for correcting me.