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Why Google PR is quirky -- Google PR bug

Recently I have been informed that the PageRank provided by pagerankstatus, a Firefox extension is different from official Google Toolbar. Since, I have been slightly involved with the development of this extension, I have studied the reason behind it.

Example
Target site: http://benmccann.com/
Pagerankstatus's PR: 4
Official Google Toolbar's PR: 0
Reason: Google's bug
Analysis

Pagerankstatus

What pagerankstatus requests: ...features=Rank:FVN...
What Google returns: Rank_1:1:4
Official Google Toolbar (IE)
What Google Toolbar requests: ...features=Rank:...
What Google returns: Rank_1:1:0
Official Google Toolbar (FF)
What Google Toolbar requests: ...features=Rank...
What Google returns: Rank_1:1:0
Google info XML file: ...info:...
PR inside XML file: 4 (
This might be the right PR. Same as of pagerankstatus.)

Conclusion (Google bug)

Official Google Toolbar has downgraded the category/directory option; that's why now not sending "FVN" as "FVN" is for category. But, Google is supposed to return same PR for "Rank:FVN" and "Rank:", but returning different results. Let's hope, Google will fix this bug soon.

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