HTML copy of PHP catalog

[Semb]

I operate an online store which has an option to generate a static HTML copy of the product catalog. The idea is to make the store easier to index by SE while at the same time reducing server load. Despite different opinions on this topic my conclusion is that it seems to be working for now. I have all my HTML pages and only a handful of the dynamic php pages indexed by Google.
Question is as HTML pages are in fact an exact copy of the dynamic ones might this be a reson for Google to penalise my site for duplicate content?

[tenerifejim]

If I understand you, you have left both the static and dynamic site up. Is there any reason you would want this? Why not simply remove the dynamic pages and leave the html ones, if this is what you want? There would then be no duplication.

I really don't think (IMHO) you will be penalised anyway. I had a similar situation for a year or so and wasn't affected. The biggest problem came when I went to remove the duplicate content and had to let the SE's know. But that's a different story.

[Semb]

They have to be both up because when customers want to make a purchase they are in fact using the php-based store.
The HTML catalog is just a supplement, designed to make store more SE friendly and somewhat reduce server load.
According to some opinions though, allowing access of SE to both the HTML and dynamic might get me in trouble as HTML pages are in fact copies of the original catalog.

[netnerd]

HI Semb

If you want to be safe, why not put a robots no index no follow type rule on for all the php pages? You can do this easily by putting them all in one directory.

Not sure how effective this is at this stage, but it is something you could try.

[Semb]

For now I am playing safe and have placed a Disallow for the folder with my php files in the robots.txt file.