Directory-Owners.Com is happy to announce the long awaited interview with David DuVal Owner of PHP link directory has now been published. You are able to view the interview below. Once again we would like to thank David DuVal for taking part! You can view the PHP Link directory script here:- http://www.phplinkdirectory.com/ Q. Are you able to give us a short insight into your background? I started working on the internet in 1998. I was working at a dance studio as a ballroom dance instructor. At night I worked on the website for the studio. I was quickly fascinated with search engine optimization, and I was able to get the studio to rank #1. As time progressed I started helping with other sites, such as vendors to the ballroom dance industry, and then many others outside the industry. Over time, I have met and worked with lots of interesting and talented people from all over the world, and I really love working with other people. Q. How did the idea of PHP link directory come to you? Did you expect it to be one of the industry leaders? Initially, my first goal was to create a method for tracking all the link exchange requests I was sending out. I would research the backlinks of other sites, and then email webmasters with similar interest to see if they would exchange links. It would get complicated trying to figure out who I had emailed, so with the help of a PHP programmer we came up with PHP Link Directory version 1 probably around 2002. It wasn't called PHP Link Directory back then. I was just something to help me manage links. If we have any phpLD history buffs, you can still download v1 here: http://www.netcreated.com/directory.zip In early 2005 I purchased the domain phplinkdirectory.com and immediately started offering phpLD v2 freely for download. I did not expect to be one of the industry leaders at the time, but as people found out about it, we quickly grew, and thousands of people downloaded and installed the software. In early 2006, we had reached a point where we decided we needed to go to a paid version. We were getting tons of requests for mods and support, and felt the best way to help people was to start collecting some money that we could reinvest into the script. We have moved at a brisk development pace. Since February 1, 2006, there have been 7 releases (once per month!). We will be releasing v3.07 in a month or so, with some exciting new features and improvements. Q. What was your biggest challenge getting the PHP link directory script to where it is now? The biggest challenge over the last couple of years has been balancing support with development. If you spend too much time with support, you don't have time on development. If you add features too quickly, you end up getting loaded up with support requests. So a careful balance must be achieved between support and development. Q. With so many directories, what do you see for the future of the industry? People are always going to need to have a way to organize links or other information in an organized fashion, and this need will not be going away anytime soon. In the future, there will be better ways to organize the information, as well as exchange this information with others. Probably the biggest challenge for people right now is to find either new types of information to organized, or organizing the same information in a better way. There is certainly a problem with seeing the same links and categories across multiple sites, and I think the people that will be successfully will be the ones that find ways to make the information they offer more helpful and unique. Q. With many website owners now placing high level's of attention to SEO, do you think that directories will have to evolve to keep up with the changes on the internet? While there will always be a need to organize links on your website, offering the same type of info as everyone else is not going to cut it. For example, waiting for links to be submitted to you is not going to produce content that is high in quality and uniqueness. A successful directory will seek out qualty content proactively. I have recently released a mod for phpLD that allows you to easily add content to your site very similar to the method used at del.icio.us. Here is a link to a little more info: http://www.phplinkdirectory.com/articlescript/New_Del_icio_us_Mod_for_v3_06.php. We have some other interesting ways to improve content addition and delivery coming soon. Q. What do you think are the main key points to a successful directory? You need a beautiful design and quality content. Q. Do you own any other sites or scripts? Yes, here are some of the other scripts I offer: www.dancestudiomanager.com www.newstopica.com www.articlescript.org www.phpmaps.com www.phpmysite.com www.regionaldirectory.org www.phpdictionary.com (free) Q. How do you relax at the end of the day? I love to dance with my wife, and we are active in the ballroom dance scene, and compete several times per year. You can view this interview at:- http://www.directory-owners.com/showthread.php?p=2686#post2686 Interview by Directory-Owners.Com
haha no but seriously, good interview again. you're doing what i had suggested to do(and you probably had planned) and your interviews rock, podman. Thanks. and a big hello to my MIA Mr.DuVal friend Rob
^Hey, We have been waiting for over a month for the interview and we finally got in back yesterday. I did not expected it sop as soon as I got it I published it. I have got 5 more interviews lined up -Dan
I really like the concept, and I carefully read the reviews of the other directory script owners too. The only thing that I wish I would have said in the interview is that so much has come from others. I want to thank the many members who have made us so successful including (but no limited to) Boby, Bogdan, Anon, Optimit, Neticus, vsdan, Vegabond, and I'm sure I missed some important ones, but we could not have come this far without the help of these people!
Hi David, I didn't notice a username : password for the admin demo on phpmysite. James. (can i get a free copy for my valuable assistance?)
Thanks David. I try to be as creative as possible with what I do. I am still learning new things each and every day, and I hope to be able to provide phpLD with yet another highly showcased website/directory(www.directorydump.com) for all to see and submit to, once it's done. Rob
"....I was working at a dance studio as a ballroom dance instructor" Can you teach us some fancy footwork so that we can waltz our way through the next google dance?
Podman, keep up the Good Work! Its like a fresh of breath air to read these interveiws--i ready enjoy your stuff! Digital point gets boring and the interviews are so good and informative. Who is line up next?