Is linking dead?

I heard something about how google may drop the value of linking all together even as soon as September in one of their more recent updates due to the abuse of linking over the years. Is there any truth to this?

No

Since the very core of Google's search engine is based on linking, I find it hard to see how they could do that without rewriting and reindexing almost everything from scratch. And since Google works quite well, I can't see any reason why they would take such a huge risk.

I heard something about how eating dog poop will make you better in bed. But since I don't have any reference to back it up, I'm gonna have chicken tonight.

Ya - ahd you attempted to become a better stud - I think you'd be eating crow tomorrow!

Even if Google announced it today, common sense would tell you it doesn't work... companies such as cuil are trying that approach and they are suffering.
Wherever you got this baloney, I suggest you discontinue your membership...

I kind of figured that. Normally I would dismiss it but it came from someone who knows Google backwards and forwards so thought I would ask if anyone else had heard anything.

I would love to hear it from the horses mouth. If he know g both ways then surely he has at least heard of this forum and should come start the conversation himself!

Links will still be important, though it may drop in value it is because Google believes those ranking earned by link abuse are not deserving enough (like those website owners that are lazy to write useful content for their visitors but diligent to pay for link building services, resulting to poor user experience).

It is no big deal for those that do it right, whatever it drops in value , A natural /editorial link to a document is still natural and when it is organically earned it will still be effective. Why fear of drop in value due to link abuse if you are not practicing this at all?

No offense intended but that doesn't mean much... assuming this guy were the holy grail of google intelligence I could care less... it just doesn't make any sense and as far as I am concerned there is still enough great management and brains behind Google that an outlandish idea like this will not take wind.

BTW I would be pleased to know this guys name... is there anyway we could meet possibly?

This is why I ask rather than take it as hard fact And normally I wouldn't even bother with it but it's something that I had to clear up.

Even though most people say that this is not true or impossible... it would not surprise me one bit.

If Google were to decrease the value of the link in organic ranks, what do you think they'd throw down as the #1 important factor?

User Behavior?

As with all factors, things change due to manipulation, and I could see Google cutting down on the strength of the link, but I don't see it disappearing. Until I see some evidence or strong argument, it's business as usual.

Google has already been looking into that... and that is one of the big reasons I believe it ain't happening anytime soon. It is also one of the (speculated) reasons that cuil was started... among other things.

I have analyzed the possibilities of user behavior as the replacement for link value when I first realized its part in search.... and I do believe that it will become an increasingly larger part of search. However from my analysis*(and don't get me wrong, I am not and do not claim to be a search engineer)* I see absolutely no hope of success if a search engine were to drop links completely and rely fully on user behavior... it would return to an easily manipulated and monopolized search arena.

As backlinks stand, they are the backbone of Google, there is not really any replacement which is going to consistently produce the same results as Google is receiving with links.

Also I don't want anyone to think I consider myself the end-all on this subject however I have done alot of research on it... after all my businesses depend on it. I have also had the privilege of talking with someone(whom I cannot for privacy reasons disclose his name) who has a very very broad knowledge of this very subject and his research has deduced the same.

If someone could prove this theory to me I would be most happy to eat crow... but as far as I am concerned it has absolutely no place in the near future.

@ OP - as sarcastic as my question may have seemed I was serious... who is this guys name and what is his website...

This particular person does a lot of SEO for fortune 500 companies and has been responsible for putting them on the virutal map and very good at his job. I can't really give out his name but I do trust his opinion in most matters which is why I wanted some clarity on this topic. What I will do is get some more info from him and see where he's getting his facts from and see if I can clarify it that way.