I'm setting up a number sites right now and many of them have multiple domains. The question is: do I alias the domain (with ServerAlias) or do I Redirect the request?
Obviously ServerAlias is better/easier from a readability or scripting perspective. I have heard however that Google likes it better if everything redirects to one domain. Is this true? If so, what redirect code should be used?
Common vhost examples will have:
ServerName example.net
ServerAlias www.example.net
Is this wrong and should the www also be a redirect in addition to example2.net and www.example2.net? Or is Google smart enough to that all these sites (or at least the www) are the same site?
UPDATE: Part of the reasoning for wanting aliases is that they are much faster. A redirect for a dialup user just because they did (or didn't) use the www adds significantly to initial page load.
UPDATE and ANSWER: Thanks Paul for finding the Google link which instructs us to "help your fellow webmasters by not perpetuating the myth of duplicate content penalties". Note, however, this only applies to content ON THE SAME SITE, exemplified in the article with "www.example.com/skates.asp?color=black&brand=riedell or www.example.com/skates.asp?brand=riedell&color=black". In fact, the article explicitly says "Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content."