Actually, there is no paywall, yet, just need a free user account to get thru the "anon-wall", though I hear they will be adding a true paywall in 2011.
easy.
They want Google to index that content and they want to show up in the search index. At one point I think some sites tried showing one thing to Google-bot and a pay-wall to the rest of the Net.
But Google realised that was a terrible experience for users -- I've googled somethign and now when I go to the page that google recommends to me - I can't see what I'm looking for.
So Google effectively laid down the law -- If you want to show up in Search Results -- then users who have found you via Search need to be able to read what you are showing..
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Step 2: Put news coverage of the event behind a paywall
Step 3: Profit?
Really? It let me through, and I didn't do anything special...
Give http://bugmenot.com/view/nytimes.com a try.
edit: people don't like bugmenot links? It has been immensely useful to me for asinine sign-up-walls.
NYTimes.com's paywall kicks in after a certain (fairly low) number of pageviews.
Actually, there is no paywall, yet, just need a free user account to get thru the "anon-wall", though I hear they will be adding a true paywall in 2011.
Aaah, did not know that. They do this to all free accounts, I assume?
Know if they're one of the ones which do Google referrals? I can never remember who does and who doesn't.
Yeah, they exempt Google-referred visitors from the wall.
I'm not sure I understand why they exempt Google refers.
Can someone provide an explanation of why it's beneficial for them to exempt Google but not other links?
easy. They want Google to index that content and they want to show up in the search index. At one point I think some sites tried showing one thing to Google-bot and a pay-wall to the rest of the Net. But Google realised that was a terrible experience for users -- I've googled somethign and now when I go to the page that google recommends to me - I can't see what I'm looking for.
So Google effectively laid down the law -- If you want to show up in Search Results -- then users who have found you via Search need to be able to read what you are showing..
NY Times has required an account to sometimes view free content for more than 10 years now. I got an account back then and it still works.