using sub folders

ok. I think I know what you are trying to tell us..
you should give us a proper explanation next time.. your confusing us.

what phpservers is saying in here...

my example...
ie. a website with two different languages
domainname.com/en
domainname.com/fr

Both subfolders show/display different languages.
hence, treated as different websites IN THIS SENSE>....


in this sense, it is correct.
gd luck w the explanation on geocities example
its getting confusing in here....
out.

PHP servers is right.
subfolders can be part of a seperate website but i think subdomains are automatically treated as a new website where as subfolders can be treated as both.

not exactly darksat. you are mixing them up.

No, not really
I am fairly sure that you dont get penalised for duplicate content in subfolders but you do for subdomains so in some senses google will accept subfolders as part of the same site but not subdomains.
otherwise they are treated as different websites.