Alexa Rankings to the rescue

Handy toolbar I recommend

Published on January 18, 2005 By Frogboy In Internet

I regularly get emails sent to me from websites that want free products to run as part of a "contest" or other promotion. We often do this kind of thing. But the first thing I do is make sure I'm on a computer that has Alexa toolbar installed and hop on over there.

The reason I do that is that Alexa's toolbar will actually display the numerical ranking of a given website. If it's ranked in the top 100,000 websites, it's very popular. So with it, I can quickly find out the relative ranking of a given website.

Now, spyware programs report this program as Spyware. That's because, technically, it is. The way it works is that it tells a master server what domains its millions of users have visited and that's how it compiles its rankings. But it's not Spyware in the negative sense, it's providing a valuable service to the net.

Give it a try for yourself. It has a serach bar in it too. It also displays related websites which is also very invaulable. So when I go to WinCustomize.com, it has links to Stardock, WindowBlinds, Deskmod, Skinbase, Deskmod, etc. all as part of the toolbar automatically because those are other sites that visitors here go to according to its user base.

Comments (Page 2)

Gene Nash

on Jan 19, 2005

I'd rather call it "report-ware" than spyware. "Spy" implies stealth, secrecy, doing things without knowledge. You should be concerned about products that track you, collect your information without your knowledge, and report it back God-knows-where for God-knows-what. That doesn't describe Alexa. You know exactly what Alexa does and why. There's no secrecy. They tell you up front. They tell you what they collect and what they do with it. They're not spies, they're reporters.

The only quibble I have with Alexa is that when I have it visible it slows my creaky old wintel to a crawl. But I do have it installed.

Lantec

on Jan 19, 2005

I thought this was the magical site that us paranoid people visit.

Frogboy

on Jan 19, 2005

Paxx - I'm pretty in touch with statistical analysis (my statistical analysis on the Presidential election for instance led me to say on MSNBC last June that the election would come down to Ohio).

There is nothing to indicate that the web surfing habits of Alexa users are dramatically different than the web surfing habits of other people.

As a general tool for comparing the website popularity of Site A and Site B, it's pretty useful.

If Website A has a ranking of 500,000 and website B has a ranking of 50,000 you can be certain that website B is getting more traffic.

As with most samplings, there is a margin of error. My view is that the margin of error on Alexa is well within the acceptable range for it to be an invaluable tool. But if you know of a more accurate website ranking tool, please enlighten us.

Frogboy

on Jan 19, 2005

I thought this was the magical site that us paranoid people visit

Oh definitely not. As soon as you logon, we send special camera enabling software that turns on a "user cam" that is secretly embedded in every monitor that most people don't know about. So even as I write this, we can look up any user and see what they're doing.

You really need to clean up that old pizza laying on your desk for instance...

BustinABogie

on Jan 19, 2005

It has a TAC (Threat Assesment) rating of "5" on LavaSoft's home page, which is up there. It mentions the reason it's classified as "spyware" is that it operates in stealth and that Internet Explorer "related links" feature does not disclose the use of Alexa.Link

Jafo

on Jan 20, 2005

3 statisticians on a train from England to Scotland. They cross the border into Scotland...and in the field they see a black sheep.

First statistician exclaims...."All sheep in Scotland are black"

Second replies smugly...."No, all we can say is that at least ONE sheep in Scotland is black"

Third responds in a tired voice..."well, actually all we can discern from this is that at LEAST one of the Sheep in Scotland is black on at least ONE of its sides."

Gene Nash

on Jan 20, 2005

I think this is the link you were trying for.

I looked at LavaSoft and I am unimpressed. 3 of those 5 points against Alexa come under this:

Malware is given three points automatically regardless of the stated behaviors listed below. All other intentional behaviors are given three points
Determining factors

Virus / Trojan Horse
Connects to perform or aid in a DDoS (Dedicated Denial
of Service) attack.
Program masks as doing one thing, but does another.
Use or creation of Tracking Cookies.
Changes browsing results (browser hijack/redirect,
replace text/graphics, opens random websites)
Operates in stealth (Runs hidden from the user).
Opens web sites not initiated by the user/unsolicited
popups and/or requests to join a different site.
Auto-updates without user permission and/or knowledge.
Dials an unprompted or unauthorized Internet connection.
Opens or Exploits a System Vulnerability.

I have trouble with a ranking that makes no distinction between something being a virus or something using cookies. I have anti-virus software that would get that 3-point hit just for "Auto-updates without user permission and/or knowledge." The Google toolbar also auto-updates without warning, by the way. JoeUser uses cookies. Run! Purge your cache! Don't come back to this evil Mal-Ware Web App!

Sorry, I find that laughable.

Also...

Operates in stealth (Internet Explorer "Related Links" feature does not disclose use of Alexa)

...relates to Internet Explorer not the Alexa toolbar. I guess IE is spyware. Everybody better uninstall it!

And that's even more laughable. Hence, I find LavaSoft's rankings and advice laughable.

As for the other 2 point hit (that gets the negative ranking up to 5) -- they still refer to things you personally have to initiate. It's not something sinister that is being done to you. It's something you choose to take part in. Alexa goes out of their way to warn and get permission.

Frankly, Google should get at least the same Threat Assessment rating of 5, but I don't see them taking heat like Alexa. (Actually, for the truly paranoid, I think I could make a case for hitting Google in all the categories, both their toolbar and their website.)

Here's the thing -- LavaSoft as well as clwoods's software have an interest in selling you on the concept of spyware and what a huge problem it is. They are biased. They make money off scare tactics.

I'll repeat, in my opinion the Alexa toolbar is not spyware because it is not doing anything against your knowledge. It is not spying on you. You are sharing information with them because you choose to take part in their sampling program, the same way people choose to become a Nielsen Family.

Third responds in a tired voice..."well, actually all we can discern from this is that at LEAST one of the Sheep in Scotland is black on at least ONE of its sides."

How dare they quote me without permission.

joeKnowledge

on Jan 20, 2005

I guess IE is spyware

It is!!! Thier own software removed the program from the system!!!

LOL

That reminds me, I have to re-install Alexa.

Lantec

on Jan 20, 2005

Frogboy if that camera is available as a web cam I'd like the address so I could watch myself watching myself watch myself watching myself..........

Lantec

on Jan 20, 2005

Heeyyy, when did I become a citizen again??

Kobrano

on Jan 28, 2005

Problem is, Alexa can be fooled. I even noticed theres companies selling 100k or less Alexa ratings for $9. I read of a few ways to do it as well. So i'm sure overall, it might be ok, but I suspect there are many sites that used trickery for their scores.

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