I am sitting here going through my third day of PR withdrawl. I feel as though part of my world is gone. I find myself still looking at that green bar of greatness and am saddened everytime. This has caused me to think about what is up with the Google guys? I want to share some thoughts that are going through my head. So lets recap the most recent Google oddities: 1) 03-31-2005, Google patent and intentions are made public. 2) 04-22-2005- PR update was later than ever before. 3) May25, 2005- PR values were tweaked. I know this isn't odd but in my case values were changed from 5 to 1 in 100's of my pages). 4) 05-24-2005, 'Directories' category banned by google? All categories seemed to be aimed at Search directories. 5) 05-24-2005, Google AdWords client center gets hacked. 6) May 26, 2005- Finally the entire world in robbed of their precious PR with rumours of it being replaced with TR (Trust Rank). Trust Rank is supposed to be assigned basic values by humans? I am not sure what to make of this . Are these oddities par for the course or could there be some hidden agenda? Any thoughts...
Actually, it's just been one big hoax. Everyone else can see toolbar PageRank, we were all just messing with you. You see, we have all been worried about your obsession with PageRank and organised this 'intervention' if you will. Right now you are going through the stages of grief, that's to be expected since you have lost something so special in your life. Have a few more Duff beers and the colour will become more and more green like it use to be.
My post on another forum: PR'll be back on Tuesday. PR was created for average Joe. unfortuately it turned out to be a tool for webmaster. Google uses toolbar to collcet valuable user data. If the majority of users of toolbar are webmasters, not average users, the data isn't that useful. Google wants to stop showing toolbar PR for a long time (they frown on PR selling, what's best way to stop this?), but not sure about the reaction from user community. The long holiday weekend is a perfect opportunity to do the test. Google needs to come up with a new feature to encourage using toolbar if PR is gone some day.
Why? Because they thought that's when the people most likely to notice would be away from their computers? If so, it doesn't seem like much of a test...
Sorry for getting off the topic>>>>>Have you guys noticed!!! ever since PR is dead,TOPS30 (the PR avatar guy) is like DEAD too!!!!
Well thanks for the help, explainations and promises...I feel so much better now. This is what I am getting at by saying hidden agenda. This effectively renders link buying and selling useless. Link brokers and the like are shivering in their boots right now, I would imagine. What if it doesn't return? I personally do not but and sell links. I use the toolbar for other things whilst webmastering: 1) Reputation- I have associated this with PR when making a purchase on a new site. 2) Grading- When viewing my own pages it has been my basic monitor of progress/ regress. Brief Explanation:[I] I know we've all read it a million times[/I] I have bolded in quotes what/ where, I think the attack is. If we all wake up to a grey Tuesday...welcome to a new world of webmastering for Google . When you think about a couple of Google's most popular programs...PageRank and Adsense, Why has Yahoo seemed to bow down to the mighty G in these cases? Is there something we're missing? Anyways, I have little too much time on my hands right now. I like to spend my free time improving my PR.
I disagree. IBL's have a value. They always have been. They always will be. This value may be postive, or if you believe the trustrank hype, negative. Either way, links will be links and obtaining quality links will be of value. I certainly agree that PR has been abused and few doubt that the weight of page rank has been decreasing for months if not years. I for one don't see why google would intentionally remove one page metric that they themselves don't weigh very heavily without an extensive test of its replacement.
Sorry maybe I am not explaining myself clearly enough. I agree with you that links will always have value, with or without PR as we know it. What I am trying to say is maybe Google has finally taken steps against the way some buy and sell links...based on PR. The higher the PR the more is worth. In fact I read a thread here last week talking about PR8 and PR9 bls selling for a whopping $2500/ month USD. There is and actual price stucture that has become standard in link buying and selling solely based on PR. To each their own, but I don't agree with it, nor does Google.
I'll probably uninstall their toolbar if that feature goes. It's about the only reason why I even have it, aside from the pop-up blocker which nearly everyone offers. Ian
It will be back. I heard from a reliable Google source that PR will be back in some hours...no later than tomorrow. Google was swapping a new infrastructure which effected the PR.
Unless your "reliable Google Source" is Larry Page or Sergey Brin, I would take it with a grain of salt. Nobody knows....
Some people are now reporting that it is back up and running in some places. I still do not see it yet, but it will be back up. My reliable source is a Google employee they have the inside scoop.
whew...seems all back to normal now. I keep hearing whispers about Trust Rank. Does anyone have any more information on this?