Question about SSL Certificates and Sidewiki

[I.M.Retired]

I have been following the Sidewiki discussions here, but am still unclear on on issue. I contacted my hosting provider and asked this question, and they did not know the answer, so I will ask it here.

I have seen some posts about SSL certificates preventing Sidewiki from loading - or at least that's what I think I have been seeing...

Could someone explain about SSL and Sidewiki - what can or cannot be done and why?

If you site is SSL (https) then side wiki does not work, the add-on for the toolbar still opens but it gives a message saying this site does not currently support wiki and gives a link to google to explain why...

Google hints that they are going to fix that "bug"...

James

[Jill Carpenter]

SSL is not a cost effective solution and it doesn't guarantee that google won't work around the problem (I caught wind they might be trying to).

Here's a comment from the web:

I have 12 SSL certs but I have way more than 12 sites and I know many that have more then me so even the SSL route could get expensive and even then google "hints" that they are going to fix that "bug" ...

Here is from sidewiki site:

A gray Sidewiki icon indicates that commenting is unavailable for the page you're viewing. This icon appears if you're visiting an SSL (https) encrypted page or if Toolbar is temporarily unable to access the Sidewiki service.

So you can currently add code that will put a blocker on your site - but this will not prevent comments from showing in the SERPS.

You can add code which makes the toolbar non functionl on your site, but you can lose visitors all together:

Until Google dumps this or provides an opt out, web site owners who'd like to retain control of what appears on their own site can block all Google Toolbar users by adding the following to their htaccess file. The "notoolbar.php" points to a file explaining Google's bad behavior and instructing the visitor to uninstall Google Toolbar in order to proceed. You can create your own file and name it whatever you like, just be sure to change the code below to make it match the file name you've chosen.

Update: See the comments below about this rewrite code.

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} GTB [NC]

RewriteRule .* notoolbar.php [L]

Or you can get the SSL and hope this is not remedied in the future.

[Jill Carpenter]

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

If you site is SSL (https) then side wiki does not work, the add-on for the toolbar still opens but it gives a message saying this site does not currently support wiki and gives a link to google to explain why...

Google hints that they are going to fix that "bug"...

James

Ha ha, is that your comment I swiped above?

That first quote is mine ....lol

Yeah we posted at the same time about it too ...lol

James

[I.M.Retired]

Thanks for the comments - SSL can be expensive if you have several sites, for sure.

As to adding the text in the .htaccess file - do you add it below the text that is already there?

I'm never sure how much you can or cannot add to htaccess files.

Originally Posted by Val.S.

Thanks for the comments - SSL can be expensive if you have several sites, for sure.

As to adding the text in the .htaccess file - do you add it below the text that is already there?

I'm never sure how much you can or cannot add to htaccess files.

Careful because you will also block all users just using the toolbar ...

James