G'day.
Is there any one out there who has used the Google Sitemap Generator before, that might know the anwer to the following.

If My server uses Linux (x86_64) Apache version 2.2.11 (Unix) , can I still use 'Google Site Map Generator'?
Does that mean I should use the following version of the generator Dowload?:
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sitemap_linux-x86_64-beta1-20090225.tar.gz Installation package for Linux (x86_64) with Apache 2.0/2.2 Featured Feb 24 8.9 MB 2181

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I'm relativley new to this so I'm not quite sure If I got my Apache info from the right place, I logged into my cpanel area to get the details and it states that I have 'Apache version 2.2.11 (Unix)', Does this version sound right?

Please help!

Cheers,
Tonga.

Are you hosted on a system called a "virtual dedicated server" or on a "hosted account"?

The package you mentioned is a program that requires an operating system to run. Hosted accounts do not have full access to an operating system environment nor program development tools. VDS accounts, on the other hand, are set up to act as tiny self-contained computers (the "virtual" in VDS). This allows you to log-in to your account just as if you had another computer at your disposal. Normally, this type of account allows you to upload programs to the system, install, and run them.

Hey Larry.

I'm not sure if I have a VDS or not, I spose that's somthing I should know, so I emailed my server fand they're getting back to me.

I do have access to my cpanel and I can change all my PHP, Mx records and add sub domains etc. is that the kind of access you were talking about?

Tonga.

A VDS account should allow you access via telnet and provides a command shell. If you do not have these features, then you do not have a VDS type account and cannot install additional programs.

Another way of knowing is the cost. A simple hosted account usually starts at $9.95 a month where VDS accounts start at $12-$15/month.

Are you trying to generate a sitemap? If so, I have used phpSitemapNG in the past and was satisfied with the way it worked. It is a PHP script and can be installed and run on your server.

Hey Larry.

I don't have a VDS, but I asked if they could add the package and I'm waiting on a reply.

Thanks for the link, it looks like a good sitemap tool.

Now I'm not married to the Google Sitemap Generator but the tool seems to have some good automated uses. The generator automatically updates your sitemap when ever a new page is browsed for the first time on your site, and also pings google with added urls every time a new post is done on your blog. Plus the generator submits the sitemap to other search engines of your choice, all this saves allot of manual work and submissions.

Because I want to add between 1 and 5 pages a day, plus a blog post for each to my site, i think it would save some work.

What do you think?

Thanks again,
Tonga.

Just remember that the google sitemap is a beta product and has problems. Also, not all products google releases as beta make it to a final product - it depends upon how many users install it. I hope you realize that this software installs itself on your site as a service and must be running 100% of the time. If it were me, I would wait until a final release, or at least until any security bugs were found and squashed. It sounds like another security hole hackers will try to breech.

Thanks Larry.

Wise Thoughts. I should probably stick to PHPsitemapNG and manual submission at the start and see how the Google Generator comes along.

What's your thoughts on a manual sitemap within a site? not just for uses to use but for .bots to find all your pages easier. I made a manual one just text links of every page in my site, and I have a site map link at the bottom of every page on my site. I thought this would help the crawlers find every page.

Cheers,
Tonga.

Just a bit more on that I just want to calarify, the sitemap I did is links only from text not a proper XML site map or anything.

Thanks.

A text site map can server two purposes: (1) As you state, it is an additional piece of info a spider can use to find all your links, and (2) It can server as a reminder for you to keep your links up-to-date (nothing is worse that a text site map that does not take you where you need to go).

Thanks for the help Larry.

Tonga.

Larry, just a quick question.

If you use an XML site map, will the spiders still detect the links as adverse to a text site map?

To tell the truth, I'm not really sure. The text site map tonga is talking about (I think) is an embedded nav menu done in text. Since that is embedded on the page, it will be viewed as content and I think treated as such.

But a text file site map can be placed on your site as well as an XML-based site map and a robots.txt file. If I understand your question, you are wondering if one format has priority over another or if the use of one format precludes using another.

Again, I really have no idea. Looking at my server logs, I see both Google and MS Live bots search for a robots.txt file in addition to my XML file. I do not have a text file, so I have never reported one to a search engine, but I do not see a spider automatically looking for one.

I know now days that search engines love XML-based site maps because they are so much easier to parse for info.

And I'm pretty sure that a site map (XML, text, or robots.txt) is not actually used to tell the search engine what pages you have. Instead, they are used as pointers to tell the search engines where to look. So an out-of-date site map will hurt you more than help if it contains bad page links.