When will G recognise JS?

will the growing important JS go unindexed?

[Namaste]

It's quite funny, taking a look of G's cache of Yahoo.com one sees the old non-js page. Should be penalized for cloacking ;).

Whenever will G ever go beyond basic HTML indexing? With over 95% of browsers supporting JS it's time G indexed it's functionality.

And what about Flash & Java?

With broadband a growing reality, websites are sure to use faster (tough a bit heavier) functionality, which requires adavanced scripts/languages.

I find it quite funny that G is allocating resources to maps, local, answers, etc., while it's core (and most used product) is still way behind today's needs.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

while it's core (and most used product) is still way behind today's needs.

Bet you still use it ;)

[robster124]

Google indexes flash no problem. It even finds links in flash files and indexes those too.

Google also has no problem with most javascript. Pages which are activated through javascript links are indexed. I dont really see the need to cache more complex javascript stuff...

[kaled]

Analysing javascript code is more than tricky. In the general case, it is probably bordering on impossible given the limited amount of CPU power/time available for the job.

Kaled.

[Namaste]

ofcourse I still use it. But everbody used a horse carriage till the car came along.

Kaled, what you say is relevant. I suppose the way out is to come up with a format in which webmasters can set-up JS to interact with G. G should publish some definite guidelines to this regard.

[kaled]

Javascript accounts for very little content. Since Google indexes content, it is entirely reasonable that javascript is ignored. The only real reason for analysing javascript is to determine if client-side cloaking is being used.

Kaled.

[Wizard]

Pages which are activated through javascript links are indexed.

I doubt it. Maybe it was just onClick="location='http://www.site.com/'" - ok, these are said to be followed. But what about linking like <a href="http://www.site1.com/" onClick="a()"> with external JS function a() {location='http://www.site2.com/';}? Have you seen examples where www.site2.com was indexed? And wasn't it just because somewhere else there was plain link to site2?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

G should publish some definite guidelines to this regard.

Why?

It's their search engine. They can do what they like with it and JS adds little content to the page wrt context.

[SEOViking]

Can you explain exactly why you are linking with javascript instead of normal html hyperlinking?

[martinibuster]

Namaste,
It's not just Google that requires webmasters to code for their convenience. That said, Google has been making inroads into analyzing JS links.

I think the more important issue is the ability to identify what a website is about without depending on webmaster cues, keyword repetitions that are like tugs from a seeing eye dog, to aid them in figuring it out. All the search engines are making progress in this regard, but even they are the first to acknowledge that search technology is in it's infancy and has a lot of room for improvement.

[Reid]

I could just imagine adsense getting indexed.

This would open a brand new can of worms for scrapers/spammers too.

[oldpro]

A few months ago I added js to my website...no change in content or otherwise...gradually dropped in the serps from first page to 4th page. Took all js out a month ago and on G's next cache immediately jumped to #1 to 3 in the serps for most of my keyword's and phrases. Coincidence maybe? All the while the js had no effect on my MSN serps...hmmm wonder why?