Search Engine Optimisation Web Log (BLOG)
Editor: Matt Paines

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Datacentre activity.
Another weekend looms, it's fair to say that Google has recently been using weekends to update it's BackLinks. Forgetting the Update that wasn't (18th Oct) the last update was on the 13th September, we are well overdue. There has been some Datacentre activity which is leading to speculation that something might be forthcoming this weekend. I'm not convinced but I guess we'll know by Monday.

Desktop Search privacy.
Google's Desktop Search has been live in Beta version for a little over 2wks now. Ample time for people to evaluate it's uses it's limitations and it's vulnerabilities. The issue of privacy, whilst Google has taken the moral high ground, could they have unwittingly opened a Pandora's box.

The Update that wasn't.
Yesterday it was posted that Google had made an update to it's BackLink index. It seems they have now reverted back to the previous BackLink index. Those who still have painful recollections of Florida (November 16th) this time last year will surely be shaking in their boots.

Google Backlink update.
On Saturday afternoon Google revised its BackLink index, this is 5 weeks from the last one. At one time updates on BackLinks and PageRank were done at the same time. PageRank having been updated ( 2wks ago ) would not appear to be in synch with BackLinks any more. It's possible this may be corrected at the next update, but nothing is certain in the search engine marketing game.

Google Desktop Search beta.
Google has introduced it's Desktop Search utility. The idea behind the desktop search is to expand Google's technology from internet search to local search. Allowing you to search the content of email, files, web history and even chats instantly. To do this Google Desktop Search indexes and stores versions of your files. Before you start to worry about "Big Brother" watching, Google have taken the moral high ground and are stating that no content will be available to Google or anyone else without your permission. Google does however collect non-personal summary information, such as the number of searches you make, the time it takes for the results to appear along with information regarding the successful installation of the utility.

Second MSNSearch preview.
MSN have released the second techpreview of their new search engine. Looking at the performance of the engine compared with the current MSN search engine, it can be noted that there has been a slight balance shift more towards anchor text, although it has to be said that keywords existing in the URL also appear to be a helpful factor. MSN's decision could be influenced by the fact that Google's laser like accuracy is renowned to be in favour of anchor text.

MSN Search Champ-ing at the bit.
Over the last few days Microsoft has been entertaining a select group of 28 specially invited individuals at it's Redmond Campus Seattle. The group is to form part of Microsoft's MSN Search Champs Project, which will be used to assist in the compilation of their long awaited, and much speculated upon, new search product.
The group consists of people from 11 countries, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States. Microsoft is taking search very seriously, and is obviously aiming it's sights very high. Many of the discussions in Seattle have been frank and sometimes quite lively particularly one on the subject of spam between 6 SEO/SEM's and members of MSN's technical staff. I for one found the experience very enlightening, a list of the other attendees is at http://www.masternewmedia.org

At last PR update
It's finally happened, read 'em and weep. The long overdue Google PR update has just taken place, and whilst we haven't had chance to look into details of the climbers and falls, the update looks pretty fair with no major upsets. Considering the length of time for the PR to update this time round it all seams a bit of an anticlimax, but it is early days yet and it ain't over 'til it's over.

Are you Dancin'?
...the answer of course is, are you askin'? hmmmm maybe not. Anyway
Google maybe about to. Over recent months a pattern has been developing to Google's re-indexing. With the exception of the last re-index, Google has been on a 3 week cycle. However the trend just before a re-index has been a lull in datacentre activity, followed by a great deal of spider activity resulting in updated page caching, followed by a sudden and dramatic increase in datacentre activity and a backlink update.
As things stand at the moment this weekend is the 3rd week, the datacentres are very quiet and we have just identified a large amount of spider activity combined with revised caching. Whether or not this will be a full dance including a PR update, given that it has been 4 updates since the last, is anyone's guess, but the indications are that something is "a brewin'".

Google's own browser.
Those in the IT industry that remember the Netscape/ Internet Explorer days of old will be feeling a warm glow today after it was released in the New York Post that Google is intending to introduce is own browser to combat Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
Google is obviously on a mission here, they have successfully acquired Joshua Bloch, one of the main developers of Java, from Sun Microsystems. They have also managed to enlist four former Microsoft employees that were involved with Internet Explorer. Joe Beda, Microsoft's lead developer on the new user interface for Longhorn (the new Windows operating system), has also recently joined the Google team.

Jeeves has returned!
Jeeves has returned to www.ask.com and he has bought something back with him from his holidays. New features have been added to the search engine, which include a map search, movie search, white pages search, dictionary search and famous person search.

Where's Jeeves?
Jeeves, the famous mascot of Ask-Jeeves Search Engine, has disappeared from the home of www.ask.com. He has supposedly gone on a short holiday. Currently he is in the Himalayas. We wish him all the best and hope he returns safe and well. Ask.co.uk are inviting users to nominate their own personalised butler while Jeeves is on vacation.

Google BackLink update
There has been an update to Google's BackLink Index over the weekend. This is the forth update where PageRank has not changed. It is also less than two weeks ago when we had the last BackLink update. Theories are arising that Google is making large changes to how PageRank is being calculated. They have hidden their WWW2 and WWW3 datacentre servers, in their place is a redirect back to WWW1. This creates the idea that they are making changes behind closed doors.
Interestingly there have been some changes in being noticed in PR, although the Google toolbar isn’t displaying them. Some sites displayed in the Google Directory are showing slightly different PR to that in the toolbar. It would not be surprising if there is a PageRank update soon.

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