Google doesn't like <!--- #INCLUDE FILE = Help!

[StephenRKnight]

Hi
I launched my first site in September 2002. Google spent 22 hours looking at my site. After about 2 months I got listed, with reasonable results.

HERE IS MY PROBLEM

Because my site contains 400 pages I have not included Netscape.

After I got listed I changed every page to a .asp extension and added the following to every page

<!--- #INCLUDE FILE = "redirectns.asp" --->

so that every Netscape user and all IE users below version 4 are redirected to a page explaining the reason, and to use IE4+

The last update has resulted in Google only listing ONE page, which is the redirected page.

I'm desperate - if it's OK I have 3 questions;

1) Is there a way to overide Google and release the previous version.

2) I am removing <!--- #INCLUDE FILE from every page - when Google comes around again will my site be found and relisted fully (as it was before) or should I resubmit and start again.

3) I still need to redirect Netscape users - do you know of a Javascript that works - what I have tried before didn't work that well.

Thank you in advance - Stephen

[korkus2000]

Make redirectns.asp a page instead of an include and use code like this at the top of your page. I use something like this in my global.asa.

Dim bot
If Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_USER_AGENT") = Googlebot/2.1 (+http://www.googlebot.com/bot.html) Then
bot = true
Else
bot = false
response.redirect = "redirectns.asp"
End If

[DaveN]

I don't think it's <!--- #INCLUDE FILE -->

I use them all the time and never got bad results

one thing to think about is

After I got listed I changed every page to a .asp extension and added the following to every page

google will have to start indexing your site all over again, have you searched for any of the old pages the index, or are your logs cluttered with 404 error,

what pages are google looking for and give them those pages.

example google is looking for index.html but you changed it to index.asp.

create a page index.html and basically upload a text document with the index.asp link on it explaining the site is on more dynamic or something

DaveN

[jamesyap]

You make mistakes when creating the page because you have block googlebot on seeing your page!

Your script must be something like

if (MSIE > 5 or Netscape > 5)
DUN BLOCK
else
BLOCK

so it block anything that is not msie > 5 and netscape > 5(include googlebot + all spiders + browsers such as opera)

You should have done

if (browser = MSIE or Netscape)
check version -> action
else
dun block

Advice: I don't recommend having any script that check for browser version. Since most users are using IE5 and above, just ignore others (the very tiny populartion).

If googlebot haven't deep crawl your site yet, then you should modified all the pages now and your new pages will be display after the next dance (end of the month)

If the deep crawl bot has came, then you need to wait until it come again next month and the update will be shown in the end of next month.

Although it takes time, but everything will be back. Everyone make mistakes, just learn from them.

[edited by: jamesyap at 1:22 pm (utc) on Jan. 13, 2003]

[korkus2000]

Sorry what I put in my post won't let anyone but googlebot view your site duh!

In your include file test for googlebot (I would also test for other SE bots).
Dim bot
If Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_USER_AGENT") = Googlebot/2.1 (+http://www.googlebot.com/bot.html) Then
bot = true
Else
bot = false
End If

Test for netscape or whatever your doing and set a variable.

Dim shipthemout

Test code

Then test and move

If bot = false Then
If shipthemout = true Then
response.redirect = "explainpage.asp"
End If
End If

Something like this to test for bots and netscape then handle them accordingly.

[jomaxx]

>> every Netscape user and all IE users below version 4 are redirected to a page explaining the reason, and to use IE4+

This isn't a shot at your site in particular, but nobody, and I mean NOBODY is so anxious to see your site that they will shut down Netscape and fire up MSIE to see it. And as for MSIE users upgrading their browsers in order to access it, I just have to LOL.

My point is, if you can't make your site compatible then those visitors are writeoffs anyway, so why redirect them at all? Maybe just display a message on the page just to NS and MSIE3 users saying that if they're having any problems to try MSIE4+.

[BigDave]

As someone who ONLY uses IE for the Google Toolbar, and certain rare sites that I REALLY want to see, I would suggeat you rethink your approach. 16% of the users of my site use would be blocked if I were to try that.

Jomaxx is right, there is no way that I will open IE just to see your site, and most of the people that use other browsers feel the same way.

You might want to consider that many of the webmasters that you would like to have link to your site will be running an alternative browser. I don't link to broken sites.

[puzzled]

I have to comment on this.

Many visitors are surfing during working
hours and are using their company's
computers. They maybe aren't allowed to
change the browsers.

I do surf and buy online at the working
place as well.

If I see a message like yours, it's telling
that the webdesigner was incompetent.

[gsx]

Agreed with puzzled - if it doesn't work in Netscape (especially versions 6 and above), then there is something wrong with the site 99% of the time.