Why DMOZ is the best directory on the Internet

[Will.Spencer]

This thread is about why DMOZ is the best directory on the Internet.

This thread is not about why DMOZ is one of the worst directories on the Internet. There are many other threads for that discussion on just about every relevant web forum and newsgroup. Please do not post messages documenting DMOZ's many failures in this thread.

The reason that DMOZ is the best directory on the Internet is due to it's many mirrors. Some of these mirrors are complete, many are only partial mirrors. Some mirrors add little additional content, other mirrors match DMOZ data with data from other sources in attempts to create additional value for the web user. One of their mirrors is the Google directory, one of the important directories on the Internet.

Knowing this simple fact, how can we use this data to help build a better Internet?

Many of us operate web directories. Most of us could start a new web directory in less than a day. Each of those directories is, however, small and independent. They are weak where DMOZ is strong.

Competition is good. To compete with DMOZ, a new directory must be significantly sized and it must have significant presence across the Internet. To grow rapidly to this necessary size, it must accept data from many sources. To have significant support across the Internet, it must be mirrored across many web sites, much as DMOZ is.

In addition, mirroring will distribute hardware and bandwidth costs at the core. In fact, the core of the new directory may not allow searches at all! It may simply point users to mirrors of the database which are open to the public.

The goals of significant database size and significant Internet presence can be lumped together under the term "critical mass".

Critical mass is what it will take to unseat DMOZ as the best (sic) directory on the Internet.

[disgust]

I'm almost surprised someone hasn't surpassed DMOZ yet. since their data is free, it shouldn't be all that hard to do- start with their data, their structure, nix all the current editors, nix the current queue, and start signing up new editors.

from there, it could grown into its own unique directory, hopefully one without the problems dmoz has- but still with the primary feature dmoz has- the whole directory would still be available for free.

[PRBot.Com]

I am working on that :D http://www.zonebot.com

[DarrenC]

Well personally I don't think it is the best directory on the internet - the thread should really be called 'How can we improve DMOZ' to make it the best directory on the internet.

I am not saying that DMOZ is the worst - it's certainly not but like any business (mine included) you have to look at the bad areas and improve them and take confidence and appreciation of the good areas about the business.

DMOZ is a great directory simply because of the volume of websites on there compared to other directories. When I was completing a course two years ago it helped me a lot with my studies - finding websites which provided me with information. I was confident knowing if I went to a specific category there would be sites that could help me without spending time searching the SE's

I have no doubt that the editors do a great job and there's not many directories that provide a forum where webmasters can come and find more information about the directory and get updates on their submission.

Darren :)

[hooter]

I am working on that :D http://www .zonebot .com

No, you're working on scamming people for their email address so you can turn around and spam them with your brain-dead musings on stocks and the like. In addition you have ripped off the software you are currently using to drive this dreck called zonebot

View here people:
http://forums.seochat.com/showthread.php?t=15861&page=2&pp=15

The whole thread is increasingly entertaining but be sure to get as far as post# 22 in the thread. This guy is a plague on whatever/wherever he goes.

[joeychgo]

I am working on that :D http://www.zonebot.com



you have alot of work to do yet

[joeychgo]

Your search - link:http://www.zonebot.com/ - did not match any documents.

ROFL!!

[joeychgo]

I'm almost surprised someone hasn't surpassed DMOZ yet. since their data is free, it shouldn't be all that hard to do- start with their data, their structure, nix all the current editors, nix the current queue, and start signing up new editors.

from there, it could grown into its own unique directory, hopefully one without the problems dmoz has- but still with the primary feature dmoz has- the whole directory would still be available for free.

DMOZ PROS
-Better then google when looking on a broad topic because you get 1 listing per site
-Considered highly by google and helps pass pr to sites it lists and passes 200-300 backlinks
-Free submissions, and as such, more advantageous to the small webmaster who cant afford $300 to list-so it helps expand the internet by helping new little guys be more competitive with the bigger guys
-PRbot.com cant get in

DMOZ CONS
-Negative image with webmasters
-Many editors really need an attitude adjustment.
-Much of content is included or not included because of bias instead of quality
-Much of directory is not updated with any consistancy, and good sites get lost in ths shuffle and dead links remain in directory for long periods of time



:)

[DarrenC]

Joey - well put! I agree with all of your pros and cons, especially the PRbot.com comment :D

[macdesign]

Wow that zonebot guy is very funy, he's copied DMOZ listings and violated the Open Directory Terms of Service, he's going nowhere fast.

[joeychgo]

Wow that zonebot guy is very funy, he's copied DMOZ listings and violated the Open Directory Terms of Service, he's going nowhere fast.




How did he violate the TOS?




:cool:

[macdesign]

I don't see on his site that he acknowledges he's using data from ODP.

See my comments on Sites Using ODP Data (http://www.dummies-guide-to-dmoz.org/sites_using_odp_data.htm)

I see a note from someone in http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=3455&page=1&pp=10 that he's been blacklisted everywhere, so it makes sense to get blacklisted by ODP. :p

[joeychgo]

hmmm so the ODP thing on the bottom isnt enough?

[macdesign]

I'm very sure that wasn't there a couple of days ago.

And if you take a look at the Google 10 Sep 2004 cache of http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:LU2AqRFDwZUJ:www.zonebot.com/dir/ZoneBot/Food_%26_Related_Products/Food_%26_Related_Products.html+site:zonebot.com&hl=en

and todays page - http://www.zonebot.com/dir/ZoneBot/Food_&_Related_Products/Food_&_Related_Products.html

you see it's been added there

[leer]

And no, what he has added is not sufficient according to the license. The apply and submit links must correspond with the category within DMOZ where the listing on that page are displayed. Take a look at some of the site listed in http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Searching/Directories/Open_Directory_Project/Sites_Using_ODP_Data/ and hover over the links to see the path in the URL's on their attribution.

As a result for the purpose of ODP guidelines we treat it as if it is an illegal site and thus rendering it immediately unlistable within the directory - full stop. And it won't be sneaking past any gates either :)

[PRBot.Com]

leer, you know full well that we have a different directory structure and different directory names. We talked about this, so what you were asking for is not workable because if we put in the plug as you guys suggest people would be sent to 404 error pages on DMOZ.

I sent in a request for another option.

[joeychgo]

Well - there ya go

[thedude]

Wow that zonebot guy is very funy, he's copied DMOZ listings and violated the Open Directory Terms of Service, he's going nowhere fast.

He did that over at vBulletin too. Originality is definately not his thing. http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showpost.php?p=516371&postcount=49

So how many sites did you steal from to come up with forum descriptions on your site? I count at least three. At least you had the cajones to name the section you stole from SitePoint actually Site Point. Come on get real. Who needs another half-implemented forum by someone who shows that he is a thief by stealing forum descriptions?


One other thing, anyone notice that at his ZoneBot website there aren't actually any links other than Google ads in the directories, yet on the main page they appear to be populated with thousands of sites?

Interesting...

[joeychgo]

Does he list my sites?

Lincoln Mark VIII (http://www.lincolnsofdistinction.com)

Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums (http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com)

Lemon Law (http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/tech/Lemon/)

Lincoln Tech (http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/tech/)

Auto Insurance (http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/tech/Automobile_insurance/)

[thedude]

I should correct myself. I am seeing SOME websites, but not nearly the thousands of websites that his pages show.

My educated guess is that this site will die like all of the others he's made. I suspect that he's added the sites in there himself, because the message board he's set up does not attribute that many people ahve visited his site. He wants to make it look active. However, a message board is really a reflection on how many people visit a website, and his is empty.

And no Joey, I haven't seen any of your sites in there. I've tried looking in the appropriate categories. I could be missing them, but knowing Max I'd say otherwise.

The search function on it also isn't working. That site is extremely misleading and I'd stay away from putting a link in it with a 10 foot pole.

[EnergyRay.com]

Is it really best ??? Hmmm

[Blogmaster]

I just read this thread ... lol. DMOZ gives the worst results. If all search engines disappeared tomorrow, people would be using JoeAnt, Skaffe, even Zeal or Jayde. Noone would use DMOZ, their results are absolutely worthless.