Software for this game is required. The software counts the number of hyperlinks you click consecutively. The software starts the counter at zero on a chosen page, and for every hyperlink you click that brings you to a unique domain increments it. You can click links to another page on the same domain, but they won't count towards your score.
Pop-ups are ignored. All that counts are the hyperlinks you *actually* clicked.
The game is over when: 1) The back button is pressed. (better be sure not to run into any broken links!) 2) A domain is RETURNED to. 3) Anything other than an HTTP or HTTPS protocol is reached.
When the game is finished, your score and the string of links is uploaded to a "high scores" website. Fancy prizes are awarded every month to the winners. Keep in mind, the software must be able to work correctly without being hacked or anything, because links cannot always be verified since the Internet is constantly changing. The sites can be compared with Google's database to make Google more complete (like a human-powered spider search).
If I'm missing any vital rules here, please let me know!-- jivetalkinrobot, Sep 04 2003 Link Monitors http://www.business...ment/link_monitors/ [Shz, Oct 05 2004] I think the winning move here will inevitably involve the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen web ring...-- DeathNinja, Sep 04 2003 Cheating! <link>-- Shz, Sep 04 2003 Well, not completely cheating... Just an aid to make sure you don't get screwed taking those back roads. Any serious player would have a link-checker; it still takes some skill to make the longest chain before running out of domains to which there are links on the page.
I can see it now... "I think I'm actually gonna make it, I'm gonna get the new high score, just one more link!... What?! 404 Error?! Goddamn Microsoft.com!!"
I'd love to check some of the links of the better players to see their strategies (if there are any!).-- jivetalkinrobot, Sep 04 2003 Is there a time limit?-- Shz, Sep 04 2003 I don't see why one would be needed. If anyone can, maybe there should be.-- jivetalkinrobot, Sep 04 2003 random, halfbakery