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How one tiny hyphen destroyed our SEO efforts (2011)

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Re: How one tiny hyphen destroyed our SEO efforts (2011)

#31

Post by ScottBurson »

Wilduck wrote: post #27
MichaelGG wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think evidence against a belief works like that.

Proves: 3. To determine the quality of by testing; try out.[1] The expression "The Exception that proves the rule" is just a wry way of saying "Well, that's not a perfect rule." [1] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/prove

I think there's a little more to it than that. If the exception in question can be seen to have specific properties which are clearly the cause of its exceptionality, and if those properties can be seen to be rare, I think the exception supports the conclusion that the rule is a pretty good one, by showing what an unusual combination of circumstances is required for it to be violated.

Re: How one tiny hyphen destroyed our SEO efforts (2011)

#32

Post by kodablah »

sp332 wrote: post #20
austenallred wrote: post #6

I don't know, there are so many factors that go into SEO that assuming, "Oh, it's the hyphen in the domain name" seems a little anecdotal to me.

I think they did a pretty good job of controlling for all variables other than the hyphen. What else could it be?

They swapped the content. Maybe the algorithm favors the site with content earliest?

Re: How one tiny hyphen destroyed our SEO efforts (2011)

#33

Post by sesqu »

ScottBurson wrote: post #31
Wilduck wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Proves: 3. To determine the quality of by testing; try out.[1] The expression "The Exception that proves the rule" is just a wry way of saying "Well, that's not a perfect rule." [1] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/prove

I think there's a little more to it than that. If the exception in question can be seen to have specific properties which are clearly the cause of its exceptionality, and if those properties can be seen to be rare, I think the exception supports the conclusion that the rule is a pretty good one, by showing what an unusual combination of circumstances is required for it to be violated.

That's pretty much what the saying is about. The existence of an exception proves the existence of a rule. The reliability of the rule can be estimated by considering the exceptionality of the exception.

Re: How one tiny hyphen destroyed our SEO efforts (2011)

#34

Post by kaizen-konpusai »

sesqu wrote: post #33
ScottBurson wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there's a little more to it than that. If the exception in question can be seen to have specific properties which are clearly the cause of its exceptionality, and if those properties can be seen to be rare, I think the exception supports the conclusion that the rule is a pretty good one, by showing what an unusual combination of circumstances is required for it to be violated.

That's pretty much what the saying is about. The existence of an exception proves the existence of a rule. The reliability of the rule can be estimated by considering the exceptionality of the exception.

I like the alternate interpretation that understands "prove" to mean "to test" in this situation, so that "the exception tests the rule".
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