Unauthorized computer programs to submit pages

[samhot]

Hallo to all of you. I am new here - and what I´ve read so far is the best I´ve come across.

Within the Google guidelines I read the following:

"Don't use unauthorized computer programs to submit pages, check rankings, etc. Such programs consume computing resources and violate our terms of service. Google does not recommend the use of products such as WebPosition Gold™ that send automatic or programmatic queries to Google."

My question: What does that mean? Using automated submission of pages as well as checking the rank will be punished by Google? This seems quite sensible, but: If webmasters keep checking rankings of their competitors their websites would be punished.

Could that be?

Thank you for enlightening me in this matter.

samhot

[Brett_Tabke]

It means you could be banned from using Google. Additionally, I've heard of several cases of serious abuse that were taken up with the users isp and they were kicked off their isp. There is even the famous case where G blocked one of the large huge isp's for abuse.

[samhot]

Thank you Brett_Tabke,

... just to be clear: I have no intention at all to use this technique in any way whatsoever. Just trying to understand - I am pretty new in this field.

samhot

[kstprod]

(Trying not to break any rules here)...

What about that certain G-dance website? Would that count as an automated query? Geeze, I hope not because I have used it alot lately to check all the dc's. Maybe I better steer clear?

[meestajohn]

I think googles real concern is with the amount of network resources that automated SERP checking uses up and thus takes away from regular searchers (googles customers).

They only have a finite number of machines to do the searching and (assuming what i read is true...) one machine deals with one search at a time, so if you're sending hundreds of requests only milliseconds apart then you're preventing legitimate users from getting their searches done.

The google dance tool queries several datacenters with one search at a time so its not really sending a bag load of requests one after the other, it cant search any faster than the person using it either so its not actually doing anything a standard user cant do.

I dont suppose software that sent a request every 20 seconds or so would be a problem assuming it didnt do anything weird, i can search faster than that by hand.

[Chndru]

What about that certain G-dance website?

Precisely..Dont they violate TOS? Especially the end quote of their webpage is disturbing :(

PLEASE: Remember To Conform To The Google Terms of Use.

Am I missing something?