most cloaking will not happen in html-files (which are usually interpreted by the client), but on server-level (e.g. which html-file to send for a request).
in html, you'd probably just use javascript to show things you don't want the robots to see.

be aware that it might get you banned, if google sees it.

Ok..isnt the cloak page an htm or html file which no one sees with the javascript redirect coding in it?

confused now....

that's up to your definition of cloaking.
Cloaking to me is serving different content at the same resource to users and bots, without a redirect.
redirecting users with javascript is far easier to see for bots and outdated. that said, it still works (or worked, I've seen a page recently that ranked well and used that style ... can't remember which query I used, though).

OK....that what I was afraid of...

how is it then done without a redirect based on your interpretation?

this is where i am confused...

thanks!

based on either the useragent (and other additional data from the request) or (the better way) the originating IP, a script decides wether this is a robot or a user and sends the appropriate content. there are a few commercial providers of informations and solutions out there where you can obtain such scripts.

Would like to use the IP way.....and would rather write my own script that use a commercial one (not too trustworthy of these)....

is this script easy to code?

am wondering if my current script is correct or not....

any help?

thanks!

You aren't going to find someone to give you the cloaking code. It can be quite complex.

If you are dead set on it, which I wouldn't recommend anyway, do some searches on google for associated phrases and you'll likely find some things, however most are not going to be free.

philosopher....

can i email you my coding and you tell me if its ok to use?

thanks

I draw the line at supplying code for something that damages user experience and the web. :)

lol....user has no clue....and SE's love them!...:)

does code also include every ip of every SE spider?

your questions can be easily answered by using the very search engines you want to fool ...

lol....and that's how i've ended here....:)

so...questions do not get answered here?...lol

[webmasterworld.com...] -- 2.6 million prior posts says otherwise.

The hardest part of writing your own cloaking script (I would imagine) is keeping the IP address list up to date, adding new ones as they come online, it would be a continuous and on going task - and certainly not an easy one.

I can only think of one cloaking script that has taken a life time to perfect!

Newbie cloaking primer [webmasterworld.com]

Another cloaking how-to-do primer [webmasterworld.com].

And some cloaking FAQ [webmasterworld.com].

does code also include every ip of every SE spider?

How about maintaining a complete up-to-the-minute IP database, including the ones they sneak out to catch you.

am wondering if my current script is correct or not....

Try it out, like on a spare domain. Make two pages that are substantially the same, including graphics, with very minor differences that only you know will be there, like a minor insignificant wording change: one for your browser and the other for spiders. That doesn't mean you'll have all the IP numbers you need, but it's a start.

Disclaimer: I don't know anything but the risk and some common sense. Cloaking has never been an option for me; if I don't keep up with doing my dishes, I certainly wouldn't keep up with spiders, and that's a recipe for disaster.

[edited by: Marcia at 11:11 pm (utc) on May 21, 2009]

Thanks Marcia!

This should give me some good reading material for the weekend...lol..:)