"DMOZ is Dead...Long Live the Open Directory Movement!"

[SCW1975]

I was just looking at the ODP forums, and someone posted this message and I thought it was a very good message. The funny thing is, as he called the editors arrogant and stuff, all the posts after his post were very arrogant and snobbish coming from the editors. They really are arrogant #@$&^%$

Well, it seems that DMOZ has been experiencing unspecified hardware problems for more than a week. More than a week with editors unable to log in; more than a week with no updates whatsoever; more than a week without any ability to explain the problem or offer an estimated time for it to be remedied.

I think this will be remembered as the week that DMOZ died.

Even if the servers ever come back on line (which no one from DMOZ has been willing to predict), I think that what remaining credibility the directory had left is now gone.

The open directory model is, however, too valuable to the Internet community to be lost, or more specifically, to allow it to be discredited by the fall of DMOZ. I think the critical error with DMOZ was the exclusivity inherent in its editorial process. Anyone reading these threads has to be appalled by the colossal arrogance of the moderators and senior editors.

Have a problem? It must be, according to them, that the failing is yours, not theirs. Has DMOZ erred? Impossible, according to them, DMOZ policy is such and such, and it is inconceivable that the individuals who administer those policies are anything but infallible.

Perhaps the time has come to try to marry the wiki approach championed by Wikipedia, with the structure of an online directory. It would, I realise, have to be organised in a way that is more resistant to abuse (since a web directory would tempt more abuse than an enclopedia), but I do not believe that this is beyond the skills of dedicated people. At the very least, it would have to be an improvement over the tyranny of the DMOZ editor-priesthood.

I'm sad to see DMOZ go the way of its dinosaur-like mascot, but, like the dinosaur, it has had its day, and it has died because of its inherent inability to adapt.

I am going to write to the Wikipedia Foundation, and encourage them to create a new online directory to pick-up where DMOZ left off. I hope anyone reading this forum will join me in doing so.

Here is the actual thread if you want to read it: http://www.resource-zone.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45362

[compostannie]

Common sense should tell you that if you are an (uninvited) guest in someone else's home or forum and you start insulting your host, there's a good chance you'll get the same attitude in return. Why does this surprise you?

[Roman]

I'm sad to see DMOZ go the way of its dinosaur-like mascot, but, like the dinosaur, it has had its day, and it has died because of its inherent inability to adapt.

Dinosaur fossils are very valuable nowadays, especially the big ones

[compostannie]

Roman is right, just look at the prices of these dinosaurs.

Besides DMOZ is not dead, it's on vacation and will be back soon feeling better than ever.

[sarathy]

Originally Posted by compostannie

Roman is right, just look at the prices of these dinosaurs.

Besides DMOZ is not dead, it's on vacation and will be back soon feeling better than ever.

lets hope it comes better and starts accepting our portals applied 1 year before

[Lexiseek]

I've had a website in the queue at DMOZ for 2.5 years. That's great

[Obelia]

I think the Open Directory project will be superseded by the distributed directory model. Everyone gets to have their own slice of the directory, to edit, promote and run in their own way.

When Dmoz started, setting up a directory was a big deal. Not any more. This is why we have a billion smaller directories, many of which are not at all important. But as a group their importance is growing, so there's no need to stress over one directory being unavailable, no matter how big and behemoth-like it is.

[copperdrum]

Originally Posted by SCW1975

"DMOZ is Dead...Long Live the Open Directory Movement!"

Seems as though the "Rumors of the demise of dmoz, have been greatly exagerated". Someone else said it best somewhere else on this board "dmoz isn't dead, its just on vacation". (you know who you are )

[brizzie]

Besides DMOZ is not dead, it's on vacation and will be back soon feeling better than ever.

ROFL I thought it was in a coma on life support...

[helleborine]

Originally Posted by compostannie

Common sense should tell you that if you are an (uninvited) guest in someone else's home or forum and you start insulting your host, there's a good chance you'll get the same attitude in return. Why does this surprise you?

Yeah, but this is Resource-Zone! Same treatment for those that come with flowers, or with clay pots!

[vulcano]

Originally Posted by brizzie

ROFL I thought it was in a coma on life support...

From what I hear, I'm almost sure there's life in the old dog yet.

[abbynormal1]

DMOZ isn't quite dead. It's actually a Zombie (the living dead)!

[Ivan Bajlo]

Originally Posted by abbynormal1

DMOZ isn't quite dead. It's actually a Zombie (the living dead)!

I told you my Voodoo magic is powerful! Now where are my needles?

[irka]

I'm sad to see DMOZ go the way of its dinosaur-like mascot, but, like the dinosaur, it has had its day, and it has died because of its inherent inability to adapt.

Gotta love the analogy

[compostannie]

If DMOZ were dead people would send flowers, I see no flowers. Dinosaurs need vacations too you know and it's been a long time since he had any time off. Now he's off on a wonderful adventure and I know we all miss him, but he will be back.

me/ hands Ivan a needle so he can make sock puppets for everyone.

[OriginalVision]

Originally Posted by Obelia

I think the Open Directory project will be superseded by the distributed directory model. Everyone gets to have their own slice of the directory, to edit, promote and run in their own way.

When Dmoz started, setting up a directory was a big deal. Not any more. This is why we have a billion smaller directories, many of which are not at all important. But as a group their importance is growing, so there's no need to stress over one directory being unavailable, no matter how big and behemoth-like it is.

I'll take a slice, how do we set it all up?

[helleborine]

Originally Posted by compostannie

If DMOZ were dead people would send flowers, I see no flowers.

True. My bad. I must rectify this immediately.

[Freewebspace]

Nice I would also send some Flowers in the memory of Dmoz

But we should all accept that it was Dmoz who created the word "Open Directory Project"

[popotalk]

Originally Posted by compostannie

If DMOZ were dead people would send flowers, I see no flowers. Dinosaurs need vacations too you know and it's been a long time since he had any time off. Now he's off on a wonderful adventure and I know we all miss him, but he will be back.

me/ hands Ivan a needle so he can make sock puppets for everyone.

The dinosaur timed out from earth and all was left were fossills which scientists even had to dig. Its priceless but the remains were just bones. No MEAT. In memory of the dinosaurs we can view them in Jurassic Park.

Makes me wonder why it takes so long, my interest took me a trip to one of AOL Corporate Media Headquarters which is in Northern Virginia. (not far away where I live) Nice building office and very receptive staff with good inside information about the ODP.

Have a Wonderful Holiday this coming Holiday Season Editors.

[amnezia]

Originally Posted by compostannie

If DMOZ were dead people would send flowers, I see no flowers. Dinosaurs need vacations too you know and it's been a long time since he had any time off. Now he's off on a wonderful adventure and I know we all miss him, but he will be back.

me/ hands Ivan a needle so he can make sock puppets for everyone.

If DMOZ was dead no body would send flowers