They're at it again with the -sj server

different serps and backlinks

[waynet]

Looks like they are testing the www-sj.google.com server again. I see 384k backlinks for yahoo and the serps are different.

[Stefan]

It's also still just on sj. If it were an update it would be propagating to the other servers.

I thought at first that it was just an old index with fresh results... it isn't. I'm about the same for most kw's, so no panic, but one of my more important page's has disappeared in sj although it shows in the backlinks. Very bizarre. The site is .org and the page has to do with preservation, up against a lot of commercial outfits, so it's not good that it's gone.

I hope this is an anomaly and doesn't reflect the next update.

[Powdork]

I'm seeing the new results on www now

[mfishy]

For two sites I work on sj is showing backlinks from about 3 updates ago (which are gone now). So, even thought here is some fresh results in sj, it sure has some outdated stuff.

It's difficult to say exactly what they are doing with sj much the same as it is difficult to say where the results come from on labs.google.com/gviewer.html (Google viewer). Remember a couple of months back people were claiming these bizarre results were a sign of things to come as well.

The only certainty is that Google Guy said yesterday that it was too early to start talking about an update.

[Powdork]

And now its back to normal.

[Powdork]

Here's what I think.
Google will continuously update content with freshbot on www and will continuously update links and pr on -sj or perhaps vice versa. Then the new web link structure will be not quite as continuously assimilated into the new content for the public index. We're seeing the testing on -sj and then occasionally they are testing the methods to move it over to the public index, which is why we occasionally see the test results move over to www for a short period.

Or its an incomplete update.

Or its something else.

[Stefan]

Sounds good Powdork. I'm hoping for the something else.

I don't understand why the page I'm missing is in the backlinks but can't be found in the top 100... it's #4 in all the other servers and #2 in Ink.

[mrguy]

All I can say I hope it's something else, or 3 months of hard work have just been shot down the drain.

[d_fused]

<!-- This will cause all SEO's to go out and get jobs at McDonalds -->

There are about 430 messages under this topic. And not surprisingly, very few of them have been answered by the real pro's in this forum.

If you, guys, had spent the amount of time and affords you are putting in this tread, working on your web sites, you would not worry about the whole SJ thing.

Just like the rest of the members here who have done their job and are off to McDonalds... not to look a job.

I sincerely apologize if this message is of any offence to anyone here, but screaming 'Update' every 5 minutes is not helping anyone.

There are tons of unanswered messages, and about 100 000 other full of invaluable information.

And please do not start a tread titled: Will googlebot crawl my site again, as I am late with my optimization..." right after the deep crawl has finished.

IMHO you are just wasting time and precious bandwidth.

P.S. Mods, please delete this message should you consider it inappropriate to the general discussion.

[badger_uk]

Statement by the Minister of Information for the Republic of Google.

The results you are seeing at www-sj.google.com is the new update and will show up in www in the next 24 hours. Also from next month anybody who has a link to another site will be removed from the index.
Thank you for your time.
Iraq Guy

[Stefan]

The thing is d_fused, is that the last couple of updates, at least, the first changes were on sj.

I suspect the "real pros" have no idea either what's going on. Probably nothing is going on.

My site is .org, makes me no $$, but truely accomplishes something... but only if it's found by users via SE's. Google and Yahoo bring in most of the visits. Where my "widget preservation" page shows in the SERP's makes a real difference.

[d_fused]

<!-- The thing is d_fused, is that the last couple of updates, at least, the first changes were on sj -->

I remember the last update... SJ went crazy again, I checked the SERP's and it was a disaster. However; the real update was a delight for me. And I believe for many people here.

I believe nobody is against discussing the whole SJ issue, but have a look: Half of the posts sound close to this one: "I was number one 10 minutes ago, now I am 15, ooppss, 25-th. Yes, I am back to #3. This is an update. This is The Update."

I may repeat myself, but such posts are of no use to anybody.

Check back GG's posts and if you follow them, you may find some humour there... as always."

Anyway...<quote> "I think ya'll should take a break for a few days" <end of quote>

Regards,
d_fused

[coosblues]

I personally don't think this thread is doing anyone any good other than causing speculation which only Google really knows about. It's obovious Google is perhaps testing something, but what I don't think anyone but perhaps but the Google employees know. The name of the new update has not even been released (as mentioned in another thread). Perhaps this thread helps ease the tension for those of us worrying or anticipating the next update but until different results start showing up in www1,2, and 3 I'd say let go of the -sj server results and just concentrate on your sites. We have no control over Google - stay tuned to what you do have control of - quality sites following the google stated TOS rules. In my short term as a newbie webmaster I've found that when the "real update" is about to start GG usually gives a clue. I think he's sitting back right now laughing to himself (and I don't blame him in the least). Google may rule the SERPS, but for heavens sake don't let it rule your personal world. Just my two cents on the take. Kick back, relax, whatever is going to happen will happen on Google's terms, not ours/yours.

[jojojo]

so if you aer doing better in sj- than you are in www is that a good or bad sign?

[Krapulator]

"If you, guys, had spent the amount of time and affords you are putting in this tread, working on your web sites, you would not worry about the whole SJ thing. "

This is a Google discussion board dfused, and we are discussing a notible and unusual event. Feel free to join in!

[Stefan]

True, d_fused.

I'm out in the field doing some research come Wednesday. I'll probably miss the update, no problem... I just hope my "Widget preservation" page is in it, (all the others too).

You have to admit though, it's an interesting thread. Cut us some slack.

[pixel_juice]

This is a Google discussion board dfused, and we are discussing a notible and unusual event. Feel free to join in!

I totally agree Krapulator. I don't care if it's an update or not, and when the update comes I know I will see better results from the work I have put in.

I feel like we should have a 'serious sj discussion thread' like there is for real updates so we could get some useful feedback :)

[mfishy]

d_fused,

how do I get to be a "real pro"? Shall I post another thousand times? :)

Now, get back to answering all those other threads so you don't waste anymore of your invaluable time

[skipfactor]

Nothing left to do here but go with the gut: could we be seeing a spam algo test gone awry on a new deep-fresh hybrid index (deep may be fresher than fresh listings in this case) with a fake backlink index test for us WW dance junkies? Is this physically possible?

Remember the -ex last month, BT had to break out the 4X4.

[GrinninGordon]

I have had a look at sj and it seems to be the results had certain Spam algos been turned off, and html design (keyword density, etc.) made more important. I have seen a site on page 2 for a tough search term that was guilty of a number of "crimes against Googlemanity", including (but not limited to) expired domain grabbing. And was, as far as I can remember, canned a few months back. It has not changed since as far as I can tell.

So I would be really surprised if this was the shape of things to come. But is maybe, rather, a way of checking "what if's", including "What if we leaked this data center URL to Webmasterworld and got them all worried?!"

[Ryan_Lash]

Looks like these changes are being reflected at www as well. Update is here?

[GrinninGordon]

Ryan_Lash

Ryan, what you are seeing on sj are not the new results. I have been watching www2 and www closely over the last 36 hours. I have just seen the last of www2 results come good on www. So I do not think the sj results can be the new real Google results.

[Ryan_Lash]

GrinninGordon,

I am seeing different results on www and www2 in Los Angeles. www are identical to www-sj here.

[allanp73]

The -sj server kills my sites which have gone out their way to be Google friendly. Sites which are top10 on www.google show up well out of top50 on the sj version. I'm not just upset because my sites do not fair as well, but, the top 50 serps on the sj version also seem to lack much relevance to the terms I search. Many other good sites are worse off as well.

[GrinninGordon]

Hi Ryan

Strange!

But www2 should tell what the real results are, or are going to be. I also just went through two anonymizing services (not to hide myself, but to come from different regions - 1 USA, 1 Europe) and they are the same results I get here.

I think this just goes to prove that the Texans were right all along!

[Stefan]

Looks like these changes are being reflected at www as well. Update is here?

Just bouncing in and out... it's mostly the other servers appearing on www

[GrinninGordon]

I have tried several times to see if different reults appear, and over the last few days (as I originally said, I was watching and waiting for all www2 results to filter onto www, and I saw nothing like you describe). Maybe you need to clear your cache and cookie files? Maybe Google are using these to route you back to sj results somehow?

[steveb]

I'll never be one of those folks who sees a flying saucer. Same results on www www2 www3, different junk on -sj. Snore.

[jojojo]

so if you are doing better in sj- than you are in www is that a good or bad sign?

[CCowboy]

jojojo,

If you are playing by the rules and your site is above others that are normally in the top ten results, it's something to hope for.

[Alphawolf]

so if you are doing better in sj- than you are in www is that a good or bad sign?

It may not be a sign of anything but a Google person tweaking and testing stuff.

It doesn't matter much what it means until:

1) GoogleGuy posts back here telling us what is up
2) We just wait till the update and see if the sj data was a sign of changes that make it to the true index.

In any case- you can't start tweaking your site based on sj data, unless GoogleGuy says "That's the stuff we'll be using for the new indexes." And he won't say that. :)

So, it's of interest just to figure what G is testing.

...a curiosity thing to some of us here.

No need to panic or be elated with what is on sj because it ain't on www.

If next update resembles sj then we'll really have stuff to chat about.

AW