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Google Fakes Destination URL?

Discussion in 'Google' started by JonahViaKeyboard, Mar 18, 2006.

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  1. #1
    JonahViaKeyboard, Mar 18, 2006 IP
    onedollar likes this.
  2. LaCabra

    LaCabra Goats R Us

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    #2
    I'm not sure what your question is?

    edit: Nevermind, now I get you ...

    Great question!
     
    LaCabra, Mar 18, 2006 IP
  3. JonahViaKeyboard

    JonahViaKeyboard Peon

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    #3
    Let me clarify if others find that unclear.

    Usually, the results link straight to the destination. In this case, www.oracle.com/... is the first result. But instead of linking to that, Google links to themselves, and has a 302 redirect to the destination.

    HTTP/1.1 302 Found
    Cache-Control: private
    Location: http://www.oracle.com/timesten
    Content-Type: text/html
    Server: GWS/2.1
    Content-Length: 227
    Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:28:11 GMT

    This is really strange. What's even more strange is that all the results on the page lead to Google and 302 redirect to the proper destination.
     
    JonahViaKeyboard, Mar 18, 2006 IP
  4. NetMidWest

    NetMidWest Peon

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    #4
    NetMidWest, Mar 18, 2006 IP
    onedollar likes this.
  5. JonahViaKeyboard

    JonahViaKeyboard Peon

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    #5
    Wow, thanks so much!
     
    JonahViaKeyboard, Mar 18, 2006 IP
  6. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #6
    Actually, they click track ALL the time... it's just done with JavaScript usually. My guess is they do it without JavaScript sometimes just to get samples of data to compare against other things.
     
    digitalpoint, Mar 18, 2006 IP
  7. pkchukiss

    pkchukiss Peon

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    #7
    Isn't using Javascript to track clicks rather unrepresentative of the entire population that clicks on the links? I still know of people who use early generation browsers, and others who use extensions/mods to disable Javascript.
     
    pkchukiss, Mar 18, 2006 IP
  8. NetMidWest

    NetMidWest Peon

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    #8
    I think this is perhaps the reason for tracking clicks via the 302 redirection method. It gives them data to compare and adjust for the popularity of the term for non-JS users.

    Google using a 302 redirect is ironic, since if we webmasters use a 302 for click tracking, it can trigger a bug in Google) and is not a recommended method anymore. Google is finally attempting to fix it in this BigDaddy update...

    If turulillo is correct about logging out of Google to avoid JS tracking, it also gives them data for the users of Google as a whole.
    If the info given by gford about pulling data from toolbars and logged in accounts is correct for Google as well, it would support that.
     
    NetMidWest, Mar 19, 2006 IP
  9. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #9
    It doesn't matter if they use a 302 because the URLs that redirect aren't spiderable anyway.
     
    digitalpoint, Mar 19, 2006 IP
  10. NetMidWest

    NetMidWest Peon

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    #10
    True. I did not mean to give the wrong impression. :eek:
     
    NetMidWest, Mar 19, 2006 IP
  11. roseplant

    roseplant Peon

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    #11
    roseplant, Mar 20, 2006 IP