Comments on: Dropped from Google

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:56:52 +0000

I'm always surprised by how many people choose to run their own blogging software rather than having a third party run it for them, especially considering the number of security problems that are continuously being found (especially in wordpress).

Lots of sysadmins i know use livejournal, wordpress, or typepad's hosted blog services. These people are the ideal candidates for running their own blog software, yet they use hosted services because they understand how much of a time suck it is to keep the software up to date on their own. Many corporate blogs, such as flickr's, use these services as well.

My advice: Move your blog to typepad.com (run by sixapart, the company that makes your current blogging software). Have blog.lessig.org point to the new blog's address, and have old links redirected appropriately.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:55:12 +0000

Good luck. Spam links suck, but they wouldn't be a problem if our search engines were a bit smarter...

By: Sharon

Sharon — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:23:41 +0000

You still have problems. A view source of the blog homepage reveals a series of links to a pharma spam site. Div containing the links have an absolute position with left and top margin positioned off page with negative margins.

By: Steve Baba

Steve Baba — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:59:03 +0000

Google results bounce up and down usually after a reindexing delay, upsetting many webmasters. And an argument against having one dominant/monopoly search site. (I did not notice any outrage when Google tried to block Microsoft from buying Yahoo to compete) But I digress.

As of now, I did not see Lessig’s sight when searchering for “Lessig,” “Lawrence Lessig” (without quotes in search) or even Lessig.org.

On the bright side, Lessig’s badly written endorsement of Andrew Keen’s great book (not) has also slipped from the ratings.

One can use a google dance tool such as
http://www.google-dance-tool.com/cgi-bin/gdance.cgi
to search 100 plus results from three google servers.
(If you already visited Lessig’s site, it’s easier to spot as a visited link. Many other sites including Lessig in blog look similar)

By: Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:36:22 +0000

Bob, I agree WordPress updates a lot, but the flip side is that it innovates quickly too. This site is actually running Moveable Type, so it's not a WordPress issue. In fact, to me it looks more like the hacks are taking place on the webhost level in this particular instance.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:01:02 +0000

Hey Matt,

I know about the WP update, but the problem is WP updates way too often. If you have multiple blogs to maintain with customized themes it can take a good hour to update your blog. Then a new exploit is discovered and you have to update again.

Spamming is so bad with WordPress it's about time to move to a different platform. It's beyond awful.... spend more time fighting spammers and security than creating content. It shouldn't be that way.

Well, I guess this is a ripe opportunity for me or someone else out there to make a new platform.

I'm mega frustrated... and sad :(

By: Kyle Maxwell

Kyle Maxwell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:56:34 +0000

Actually, I just searched for "lawrence lessig" and lessig.org/blog was the first result.

So you're looking good from here, boss.

By: redactie VVDNext

redactie VVDNext — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:37:18 +0000

I did not know you, but someone told me about you. And I found you through a google search. So I am satisfied

By: Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 02:37:49 +0000

Bob, you may not have seen, but WordPress 2.7 came out last night, and it contains easy-update functionality. It's not perfect, but it is a big step forward.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:44:20 +0000

Spamming/hacking will be the downfall of WordPress... just as viruses are the downfall of Microsoft Windows.

MATT Mullenweg.... PLEASE FIX YOUR SOFTWARE ASAP!!!