Google Follows these links but what about...

Java vs. CGI

[stcrim]

"Google" Follows the visable links in a CGI driven drop down box for navigation - but what about the visable links in a java driven drop down box.

In other words, does "Google" pay attention to the links between <script> and </script>.

-s-

[Nick_W]

I have no idea, but I'd like to know too. Anyone....?

Nick

[Powdork]

I think if it it looks like a link, it smells like a link, and it acts like a link, then Google will index what's on the other side. It doesn't mean GoogleBot will follow the link, however. Also, rumors are that js will be read more and more by Gbody in the future.

[Chris_R]

Powdork is right - google has mentioned even indexing plain text unlinked links - like when you see amazon.com used in this sentence.

Can't wait 'til that happens and people on this board then want to use some trick to prevent their "PR from leaking".

[egomaniac]

Historically Google has ignored links between the <script> and </script> tags. Google has always been capable of reading these, it just hasn't done it.

At PubCon, Matt Cutts from Google said during the panel discussion that the presence of a url between script tags was "an interesting piece of information". I think this is where the rumors are coming from as to what Google might do with regards to javascript links in the future.

Read into that what you want, because he didn't tell us anything concrete.

[Powdork]

I think this is where the rumors are coming from as to what Google might do with regards to javascript links in the future.

Yeah, that's the rumor I was referring to.

[mil2k]

There was a thread about Pubcon and one of the Mods or Admins quoted Matt Cutts as saying that they are capable and they do look into js. I remember bcoz that's when i thought Here goes Pr blocking technique down the Drain ;)

[vitaplease]

I for one think Google will try to limit any unnecessary extra work for the googlebot and index.

A navigational javascript menu with 50 links on a every page will even out any emphasis that the site owner would put with its regular links.

I would not be suprised they use the info for checking yet unspidered pages though.

For example a plain text exteranal link in a body text or as cited source on the bottom would/could be a link to be counted as vote for whatever algo IMO.
Thats how it used to work with any scientific publication before the www.