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6 ways DMOZ editors find sites to work on

Discussion in 'ODP / DMOZ' started by CurtMonash, Jan 11, 2008.

  1. #1
    1. You start editing in a category. There are sites already there.
    2. People submit sites.
    3. Other editors send sites over, usually new submissions that were submitted to the wrong place.
    4. You have personal knowledge of a few sites suitable for your category.
    5. You find more sites suitable for your category, as part of what you otherwise do all day.
    6. You explicitly set out to find sites for your category.

    If you asked most DMOZ editors, they would probably say the most important are some combination of #4-6. But that's just because they wouldn't think of including #1. :D

    Indeed, some combination of #4-6 is pretty much required as part of the application process to get the category.

    I edit in three types of categories:

    History (software, games)
    Game that I play (Guild Wars)
    Blogs (technology)

    In the history cats I did some pretty careful web searches to come up with anything to list. There isn't a lot out there in my particular categories. Not coincidentally, I haven't once gotten the slightest bit of criticism from other editors for most of my listings being "deeplinks". Relying on those -- which is an exception to usual practice -- is a judgment call that's obviously correct, because nontrivial unique content is being turned up that way.

    In Guild Wars I had a strong sense of what the best sites were, since I used quite a few myself. :) I also found a couple of lists of fan sites on an obscure part of the company's official site, or of guilds who just happened to have sites. I worked through those to get most of my listings.

    And then there are the technology blogs. I listed a few hundred in a major spurt about a year ago, then got burned out and have been listing them quite slowly since. A lot of the obvious ones to list were already there. I also listed further good ones that I knew. Blogrolls are obvious sources of candidates for further listings. And in a number of areas -- not just SEO -- there are recommended lists of "the best" blogs in an area; a lot of the blogs on such lists usually are appropriate to be put into DMOZ. If I find a great blog in my own reading, I sometimes go over to DMOZ and put it in. Heck, in one case I listed a blog from somebody complaining in a stupid anti-DMOZ flame war because, in the small part of her griping that focused on stating that her blog should be listed, she happened to be right. ;)

    And yes, I've listed a few sites from the hundreds of public submissions. But that hasn't been a priority.

    And as a further complication if you're watching over the outside -- over the past couple months, I've selected dozens of blogs for probably listing, including ones that came from public submission. But I've just put them in queue, without actually bothering to write the title and description just-so, which is a requirement before I actually can list them. At some point I'll probably list them all in a few hours in a big bang, but there's no predicting when that will be.
     
    CurtMonash, Jan 11, 2008 IP
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  2. promomanagers

    promomanagers Peon

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    #2
    Great information and an interesting read for those interested in DMOZ.

    The only thing we wish they had was a status checker. We can't remember if we submitted or not and don't want to resubmit and get flagged. It would be great if there was a way of checking.
     
    promomanagers, Jan 15, 2008 IP
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  3. robjones

    robjones Notable Member

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    #3
    Good point, and one that has been brought up internally in our thread about proposed upgrades. It'd answer a question for a lot of submitters.

    Thanks for reinforcing the point. Editors can't personally implement that sort of thing, but we can keep it in front of those who can.
     
    robjones, Jan 15, 2008 IP
  4. Anonymously

    Anonymously Notable Member

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    #4
    You won't, as a meta once said to me "two submissions don't make a spammer".

    I have just been working on a category with over 400 in unreviewed, some from other editors, some from the outside and some 404's.
    Glad to say it is now down to half that number and before I leave it it will be down to under 25. Of my total number of unique adds to the directory (excluding 404 returns) , I guess that I will have only found about 30% and 60% will be new submissions and 10% from other editors. So my emphasis is largely on submissions, but in some categories that I edit that really would not be enough to build out the directory satisfactorily.

    So you see two editors and their style is different, the categories, quality of submissions and quantity all affect how we work.
     
    Anonymously, Jan 16, 2008 IP
  5. Alucard

    Alucard Peon

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    #5
    Fact is, a submission of the same URL to the same category just over-writes the previous one - an editor has no way to know if that site got suggested 1 or 100 times. Now, if you start submitting it to multitudes of categories, that might get you in trouble, but a couple usually doesn't hurt.

    The only downside to resubmitting is that if a reviewing editor sorts URL suggestions by date 9which is one of the options on the screen) then the newer submission over-writing the old one will push it down that list. But editors aren't obligated to review in any particular order so it might, or might not affect things.
     
    Alucard, Jan 16, 2008 IP
  6. promomanagers

    promomanagers Peon

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    #6
    Great information and I thank you both. So editors can suggest sites to other editors as well?

    Does someone get notified if there is a rejection or does it fall into the void?

    Thanks!
     
    promomanagers, Jan 16, 2008 IP
  7. Alucard

    Alucard Peon

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    #7
    Editors can make site suggestions to sites they do not edit, yes. They don't make them directly to other editors.

    And no, as you will see in a couple of threads here, there is no notification back when a site if reviewed, accepted or rejected.
     
    Alucard, Jan 16, 2008 IP
  8. Artifexus

    Artifexus Guest

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    #8
    A nice insight into the mind of dmoz editor - thanks for sharing.
     
    Artifexus, Jan 16, 2008 IP
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  9. Anonymously

    Anonymously Notable Member

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    #9
    Even other editors do not know what happens to a site they have offered (unless they see it appear or have the editing privs to check up), whilst this sometimes will be a new site (one editor recently with a passion for choirs sought them out and submitted dozens to regional categories) it often will be one in a topical category that qualifies for a Regional listing and it will be sent over after being listed in the Topical category (and vice versa) also we have to send sites to the correct category when submitted to the wrong one.

    That's not quite dropping into a void, I think the word should be into a Q, its not lost it just has to wait. Some of the sites I don't want to deal with because they have some sort of complication, eg need a new category created, are still there when I go back, unless someone else has created the category for me:D
     
    Anonymously, Jan 17, 2008 IP
  10. cdpm

    cdpm Banned

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    #10
    if we are an editor, that means we have the authority power to put our own sites rite?
     
    cdpm, Jan 18, 2008 IP
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  11. robjones

    robjones Notable Member

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    #11
    We are an editor but our site was there before we arrived. If not, we could have done so if we'd had privileges in the area in which our site belonged, but they prefer we not join their ranks if that's our sole purpose.



    [I find it's easiest to ride the horse the direction it's already goin'.]
     
    robjones, Jan 18, 2008 IP
  12. Qryztufre

    Qryztufre Prominent Member

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    #12
    DMOZ was founded on listing sites owned by editors. So long as your site fits within the guidelines there will be no trouble what-so-ever of listing your own site. Though, it is strongly recommended that you are open and honest about such affiliations with your sites and that you never cool them. It's also good to list several other sites which do not belong to you...as your sites is not the only one out there, and simply listing your own site(s) is a pretty sure fire way of getting booted, and possibly all of your sites booted (for good) as well.
     
    Qryztufre, Jan 19, 2008 IP
  13. robjones

    robjones Notable Member

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    #13
    For purposes of clarification, I'll modify the statements above based on a long period of internal observation.

    No, it was founded on the idea of making the world's largest human edited directory. While a large percentage of editors found the "become an editor" button while submitting a site, that isn't the same. The sentence that followed it is correct in that it is ok to add your own site if it fits the listing criteria of the category in which you have editing privileges.

    If we refused to let them add their own site under the same terms they add others it would penalize them for doing the work, which wouldn't be bright or fair. Of course if they had a site of their own that fit the category's criteria and failed to add it, I'd wonder about their mental capacity. :)

    True if "strongly recommended" means "absolutely required". Those are two of the primary causes of lost logins.

    We NEVER give anyone a login with hopes they will add their sites "and several others", though it happens accidentally sometimes. I have ONE site, and it was in the directory before I became an editor. I've made over 20,000 edits and they were not to my own site.

    The minimum requirements are tiny because the editors are volunteers, but if there are clues the plan is to use it in a self serving fashion it will not lead to a login. If there is evidence later that the editor is there for self-serving purposes it begs the question of whether their login should remain. The people that approve apps try to avoid the terminally self-serving. Mistakes are made, but corrected when discovered.
     
    robjones, Jan 19, 2008 IP
  14. snooks

    snooks Well-Known Member

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    #14
    I visit the boards often but dont freuqent this area because im afraid that generally, it develops into an arguement between people.

    I would like to ask a question, if I may. Perhaps Rob or Anonymously would be kind enough to answer?

    Editors make comments, which are there own and people always make accusations about this and that. Why do the real big bosses, which i think you call Metas, never make an official comment or make some official form of communication so the general public can get information, perhaps even specific information. I understand that its impossible for checkups etc, I mean more regarding policy etc. Or even changes at DMOZ.

    Do they ever communicate like the PR People at Coke, or Holden, or any big company? I never see nor hear anything "official".

    Just wondering and not implying anything at all.........Thanks.
     
    snooks, Jan 19, 2008 IP
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  15. robjones

    robjones Notable Member

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    #15
    FWIW, "the bosses" is a misnomer, it isn't like metas sip coffee in the cab of the truck and watch everyone else do the heavy lifting. Many are still highly prolific editors in addition to doing editor apps and other such.

    Some comment here (Jimnoble and Shadow come to mind), many post at Resource Zone (quasi official but non-aol owned external forum), some frequent various other outside forums.

    Additional levels of internal management structure include Admins and Staff. Admins wander into RZ sometimes, but for "official statement" there's the Dmoz blog. It includes blogs by staff or blogs by editors and approved by staff for dissemination in the blog. If you want official word, the blog is your best bet (when it is updated, which is a bit hit or miss). It was created for the very reason you ask... prior to that there was no official outlet. http://blog.dmoz.org/

    Most of those you see in here are Editalls, a designation tendered to those who are really poor at politics but generally trustworthy and only mildly retarded. ;)
     
    robjones, Jan 19, 2008 IP
  16. snooks

    snooks Well-Known Member

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    #16
    Thanks Rob ;).
     
    snooks, Jan 20, 2008 IP
  17. snooks

    snooks Well-Known Member

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    #17
    Wrong icon Rob, im still learning these damn icons. Just a smaile will do (lol)
     
    snooks, Jan 20, 2008 IP
  18. Ivan Bajlo

    Ivan Bajlo Peon

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    #18
    Being truthful also brings high risk of being removed and no extra benefits like option of cooling your own websites. :p

    (not that cooling brings any real benefits to your website it just looks cooler listed in some obscure DMOZ category nobody besides boots ever visits and they couldn't care less if your website was cooled or not :cool:)

    yeah right, pigs have better chance of learning to fly then DMOZ admitting a mistake :rolleyes:
     
    Ivan Bajlo, Jan 20, 2008 IP
  19. popotalk

    popotalk Notable Member

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    #19
    Most new editors are lucky. Unlike me when I became an editor I received a warning from an Admin/Meta for joining Digital Point at the height of the Adult discussion here. I find that treatment offensive.

    That seems unfair RJ. There are trustworthy editalls with good PR who have come here to help but there are anonymous ones who just troll around. They may be good editors but very poor in PR. Just my 2 cents.
     
    popotalk, Jan 20, 2008 IP
  20. Anonymously

    Anonymously Notable Member

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    #20
    you could have left then and saved a lot of problems:D


    I wonder who Jake the fake is talking about?

    Rob I contest that I am more than mildly retarded so you left me out:p

    Well at least i don't try and steal threads from private forums, post them here, admit to being a huge great fibber and cheated my way into ODP, now what can we believe that Jake the Fake says?

    Sorry, snooks, I came on here to find out what the place was, found some nice ODP haters mostly ex-editors and people who have cheated their way back into editing after being booted and ODP being seriously maligned and so I stick around to try and correct some of the lies spread on here.

    If you check my posts you will find serious answers to serious questions. But to name callers and those who want to decry ODP, sorry they will get a good dose back.
     
    Anonymously, Jan 20, 2008 IP