It's against Google's TOS unless you have permission - or the software developer has an agreement: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66357"]http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66357 Google's Terms of Service do not allow the sending of automated queries of any sort to our system without express permission in advance from Google. Sending automated queries absorbs resources and includes using any software (such as WebPosition Goldâ„¢) to send automated queries to Google to determine how a website or webpage ranks in Google search results for various queries.
When did Google start writing laws? It may be against Google terms of service but that hardly makes it illegal. Private corporations do not have law making authority, although some behave as though they do. Lastly, it sounds like you are asking if using (as opposed to operating) a non-Google page rank check is illegal. The answer again, is obviously no. There appears to be nothing remotely illegal about using a third-party page rank checker.
Google starting writing laws when they owned 65% of the market share. Askjeeves.com is available without any laws.
brpwmtwn = they are the only game in town. If you have a plan b, I would jump in 1st. What do you recommend to avoid dealing with google's dominance? At least they work. Bing & yahoo are pathetic.
Of course I want my sites in Google, and they are. I don't care if I follow any particular search engines guidelines - that is all I am saying. If Google doesn't like it they don't have to index my sites, but that is about all they can do. Well, if you have a site getting shit traffic following their rules then you hardly have anything to lose trying new things that may not be G approved techniques. Frankly, I don't bother reading their "webmaster guidelines" so I wouldn't know if what I do is in compliance with their "rules" or not. The point is I don't care. Please note I am talking about just having random websites rank in the Google search results. If I am working under a contract with Google, such as with Adsense, I would of course stay in compliance with my obligations under any agreement. There is however, a big distinction when you have agreed to act in a certain way and when you have not.
I was asking if creating a page-rank checker is legal or not. Using a tool that breaks their TOS may not be illegal, but offering one that helps others break a company's terms may be.
on what basis? Where is the 'crime' being committed? For something to be illegal, it has to infringe a law, and Google, last time I looked, had no authority to create 'laws'.
Google can ban your adsense account if you violate their TOS. Using a product not approved by Google to check page rank is a clear violation of TOS. seobook.com has a free firefox plugin for approved Google page rank checkinng. Aaron Wall runs the site. The ratings are dated but still very good.
wptheme - it's free at seobook.com. It's just a firefox plugin. It doesn't work perfect, but it's free.
Well then what about the SEOquake I am using? Also I have yet to find a FF plugin that you need to pay to use