Engines Using Link Popularity

[seth_wilde]

I was trying to get a complete list of engines that are definitely using link popularity and those that are probably using link popularity. Below are the ones that are definitely using link popularity (they've acknowledge it through press releases etc.) I would love to get some input and create a complete list, so your participation is greatly appreciated!

Google
AltaVista
Inktomi
Infoseek

[Brett_Tabke]

I would agree with that list, but in this order:

Inktomi Google Alta Infoseek. Yes, ink ahead of google. Ink is way out front on linkage right now - they have a killer, tough to crack algo - I'm still trying to figure the last tiny bit of the puzzle.

Some have suggested it is context sensitivity - no it isn't - Ink is NOT using link sensitivity in any way shape or form (period).

They ARE using link numbers per page (less than 75) and they have a killer algo to detect links pages (resources, bookmarks, links programs, etc). Links pages are not sticking in INK right now - no matter the source. I've about got it figured out.

Google is certainly using link context.
If it isn't in a sentence - good bye link.
If it isn't in a paragraph - good by link.
Graphic based links? for the most part - good bye link.
If there are more than 100 links on the page - good bye link
If it is a link to a site not in the Google db - the link goes on the list, but doesn't get credited until it shows up in the db.
There are 3 levels of link boost. Small, mid and large. The dividing line moves with an algo change. Small is around 10-50 links, over 100 is the first small boost, then somewhere around 500'ish and the last big boost is around 1000. Anything over that and it really doesn't matter.

Alta - pure numbers game. I'd guess about 10-15% of the algo is linkage. They use it more to trigger a spidering on a site from what I can deduce. Feedback rolled in a couple of weeks ago from BL members that alta was very active on their sites - that was just after around of submission started to stick in the db. I'm sure it was because thier link numbers were on the rise.

Inkfoseek - only heaven knows what Iseek is up to.

[seth_wilde]

Thanks for your great input Brett, what about the other engines like Lycos, Excite etc, have you found any evidence of link popularity being used by other engines than those listed?

[Brett_Tabke]

Well Excite is doing something but they are so slow at updating anymore that I haven't figured them out yet. They are really feeding on that click through data.