outbound links

I was trying to find a reason for some of the site that where ahead of me.
The only thing I could find that was consistent was that they had outbound links on there home page to related websites, the more the higher up #1,2,3.
Can I have you opinion on this .

Thanks

Linking out to quality, related ( to your site's theme ) resources always helps with all Search Engines, not just with MSN. So, yes ... you should try it too.

Yes, I heared it before.

And it looks like it's true and search engines like sites that link to other similar / authority sites.

Somehow this has a logical explanations too:
- it's likely that your site's theme is related with the themes of the sites you link too (especially if more / all are from the same niche). therefore SEs will probably give you more chances to be what you claim to be: a legitimate site, with content relevant for that market.
- the internet it's like a spider web... with lot of interlinks... if you don't link to other sites than somehow you're not participating to the web

So having two-three links to quality sites in your theme range will probably help, but don't exagerate with it 'cause you will lower the PR you pass to your own, internal pages.

<speculation strength=60%>
Outbound links to the relevant quality sites within your industry often helps in SERPs. The reason: Quality sites links to other quality sites!
</speculation>

Who knows what G has got in its wallet?

Remember not to link to to many sites as your site will start looking like a scrapper site...

Link to what you like... simple as that...