I-Search #047: Nokia Crawler?

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                    SearchReturn Discussion List
             "Understanding Internet Search Technology"
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Moderator:                                          Published by:
Detlef Johnson                                       SearchReturn
               http://www.searchreturn.com
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March 21, 2006                            SearchReturn Issue #047
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                   .....IN THIS DIGEST.....

// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //

           "Google Nokia Crawler"
           "Google Rankings Lawsuit"
           "Yahoo! Local News"
           "Paul Flaherty Dies"

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// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //

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==> Google Nokia Crawler

http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/003513.html

Essentials: In order to fetch code intended for mobile devices,
Google appears to have a new crawler that feigns a Nokia 6820
mobile phone using user-agent spoofing. User-agent information
supplied at the front end of page requests is simple (sometimes
useful) to spoof. Some websites are configured to deliver mobile-
friendly design when they detect mobile devices. The most common
detection mechanism is identifying devices through their user-
agent string.

By spoofing user-agent, Google has begun indexing code it would
not otherwise get from the regular crawl process. This may help
Google provide mobile friendly links in results. Google normally
translates site code into mobile friendly versions, and there is
a facility to control whether Google translates your code or not.
Sites are faster without it, but then Google cannot verify the
site will display properly. With this new crawler, Google has
more choice for how to list certain mobile sites.

 

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==> Google Rankings Lawsuit

http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/003511.html

Essentials: Our US Constitution entitles people to freedom of
speech. Are rankings in Google a constitutional right guaranteed
by freedom of speech? This flimsy legal ground makes its fleeting
appearance. Considering the nature of search engines, the suit is
totally without merit. KinderStart seeks class-action status
hoping to attract others to join in, so it can be most impressive
to the court. It is true that many businesses have been harmed
after getting demoted or de-listed in Google (since it has become
such a business imperative). This case will likely fail to prove
a violation of constitutional rights occurred, especially since
it will likely fail to prove that Google is a monopoly.

 

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==> Yahoo! Local News

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060320-102438

Essentials: Yahoo! launches a local news beta that will refine
news matches to a geographic area for you. This is an interesting
move considering that newspapers across the country are starting
to adapt or diminish because of the Web. With the recent sale of
Knight-Ridder to McClatchy, Mercury News is among some of the
assets destined to be sold off by the new owner. There is now an
effort to convince Yahoo! to make the purchase.

http://news.com.com/2061-11199_3-6051420.html

 

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==> Paul Flaherty Dies

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060320-190257

Essentials: We sadly learned Paul Flaherty passed away Friday.
Altavista was a favorite search engine for many years. Altavista
suffered financially in the face of competition because ad buys
from Yahoo! (in the early days of the banner) fared way better
than Altavista. Banner ads to novice Yahoo! search users always
seemed like the actual search result match to a lot of them.
Altavista search users, in contrast, were sophisticated enough to
know the difference, thereby making banner buys at Altavista
less valuable than elsewhere. Altavista at one time powered MSN,
and should be credited with ushering in the text-based search
advertising so ubiquitous today. They were badly flamed for it,
and chose to discontinue selling the space. Imagine that.

 

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