Rusty Razor Blade
I was trying to figure out how to extend my wireless network down a few floors a few days ago, and one of my queries brought me to experts exchange. The question looked useful: Using Linksys WAP54G as Wireless Repeater. This is exactly what I wanted to do. However, once I actually scrolled down to view the answers, I saw this
I thought this was pretty weird, since I was pretty sure in the snippet I saw on Google’s results they had part of the solution I was looking for. Now I’m curious, so I hit sign up to view solution, and saw the signup page requires credit card payment.
I checked out the Google webmaster guidelines, and this is in direct violation. Under “Quality guidelines – basic principles”, it says
# Make pages for users, not for search engines. Don’t deceive your users or present different content to search engines than you display to users, which is commonly referred to as “cloaking.”
# Avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings. A good rule of thumb is whether you’d feel comfortable explaining what you’ve done to a website that competes with you. Another useful test is to ask, “Does this help my users? Would I do this if search engines didn’t exist?”
Hitting the Google cache of this page shows they’re serving up a different version of the site to search engines. To me, letting them rank high for this paid for content is a clear violation of the Google TOS.
I am filing experts exchange to Google’s spam directory. I encourage you all to do the same.
Edit, search term was: Using Linksys WAP54G as Wireless Repeater
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I’m just going to say that Experts Exchange is an awesome site and worth every penny. All the haters need is a better understanding of how Google and the Experts Exchange website works.
If you enter the Experts Exchange website from a Google search result you will ALWAYS find the answers if you continue to scroll down the page and ingore the subscription messages.
The reason why I believe Experts Exchange is worth the spend is because of the very fast response times (typically within 30 minutes) and the accuracy, completeness and professionalism of the replies. You can ask questions on there without fear of being flamed or called a noob.
The only reason I have paid for Experts Exchange access is so I can ask questions. Other wise just use the expression “site:www.experts-exchange.com” in your google searches so you never hit the Experts Exchange pay-wall. =)
So what most people here seem to be saying is EE has the information they want, they just don’t want to pay for it, so they’re annoyed when EE pages come up in search results. I’ve never paid a cent to EE for answers, but that’s because I’ve earned membership by answering questions on the site. Anyone here could as well. Yes, it’s work, I typically spend a couple of hours a week answering questions. But I’ve also found answers when I needed them.
If you need an answer regarding any topic on which you’re ignorant, in the end you will wind up paying for the benefit of someone else’s knowledge, one way or another. Unless you expect everything to just be free because… well, it’s the Internet.
defecta:
Many of us have been using the web for over a decade. A website can change a lot in that time.
Have you taken into account that when this article was written, in 2007, your solution was not viable?
@defecta
Looks like you’re an EE employee in disguise, as there are many opinions found on the web that contradict you.
More over, many sites (like bytes.com and stackoverflow.com) deliver the same (or better) service, but for free.
I’ve been an expert (6-years) and moderator (4 years) and know that flames do occur. Driven by disputes about the worthless “Expert points”. Wait till an expert doesn’t receive the points (s)he thinks (s)he deserves…
When I started as an expert there were just 3 or 4 persons running the site and payments were few, but sufficient. Now there are at least 20 persons running the business, on information provided by experts that receive no payment and the owner is still trying to expand the revenues…
Finally about the answer quality: EE doesn’t care about that. One of the previous owners and I did. That previous owner has left EE and I was suspended because I asked a “colleague expert” to improve his comments from “ready coocked helpfile samples” to “teaching the questioner”.
I also know that at least some 30% of the answers is holding “non-information” and broken links, but the sales story only mentions 3Mil+ “answers”.
I rest my case. When you want to spoil your money, feel free to do so, but don’t recommend this site to others!
Nic;o)
Hey, I have also been a member of EE for around 8 years. I come and go, but have always appreciated what they have had to offer. If you dont like the format, find somewhere else to get your answer from. Its a bit like watching TV, dont like the program, either change the channel or turn the TV off and go do something constructive. Oh if you do find an answer from somewhere else…. a)I hope its the right answer and b) I hope there is no malicious download that sneaks its way onto your computer. thats the risk we take when surfing the internet!!!
Since this was written in 2007, all paid sites had to change their policies to comply with Google’s First Click Free policy. So now when you come to a link from Google, the content is there you just have to scroll all the way down to see it.
In short, why the hell are people getting all worked up over a four-year old and totally outdated article. Sheesh, people.
@Lynda,
Nice to hear a positive sound about EE and that’s what I would have said too before I was suspended as both a moderator and an expert.
EE does have it’s rules about posting links to competitive Q&A sites in comments, this isn’t allowed and they will be removed by the moderators. (So what are they afraid of??)
Moreover, when they can they will remove all critical information about them. I’ve posted under the name of “modulo5038″ a critical comment about the “Life coach” video, and it has been removed.
(http://www.youtube.com/user/ExpertsExchangeTV)
So good bye democracy and welcome to censorship….
Nic;o)
I agree 100% with this article. There are so many sites that offer the same service, for free. Its very annoying that this shiite site (EE) ranks so high. I hate it sooooooooo much
EE sucks, now (at least on some pages) they are not even showing the solution buried underneath ads at the bottom, you must be logged in to view the solution. No matter, stackoverflow is better anyway.