DMOZ the most important Link?

I'll claim that we take on nearly everybody who:-

Pays attention to detail - such as actually reading the application form.
Demonstrates understanding of the scope of the requested category.
Communicates well in the category's language - including spelling and grammar.
Demonstrates integrity.

Which of those do you think we should relax ?

 

I think that last one, is the biggest problem for a lot of em, .

 

Rob, interesting and that is information that explains a lot about these categories in particular. Why aren't editors removed if these situations become blatant? Regarding unique content - many of the sites already listed are frame sites of pre-existing parent site with identical content. I'm not saying they shouldn't be listed but that's another one of the "rules" that seems to get bent frequently.

Jim, thanks for that information - I sent you a PM.

 

There are roughly 600,000 categories and roughly 6,000 editors. I just resigned after 6 years myself.

Of those 6,000 editors, many are limited to single categories, and the rest edit in multiple categories across the whole Directory which is impossible to keep current, though they try.

All editors have various amounts of free time to devote to editing, from once or twice a month to a hundred a day. (editwise)

There are also probably 20 other tasks an editor can choose to do, besides reviewing suggested sites, that are just as important if not moreso, and they can choose to do what interests them.

It would take a minimum of 100,000 editors or possibly more to have any chance of staying current (in the way you mean), but, that isn't the goal of the Directory. (that's your goal)

The goal of the Directory is to provide good categories for the web surfer to use, and to keep growing, but it isn't a goal to keep up with sites that are suggested to it. Those sites are just one of many resources that an editor can choose to use, but editors are under no obligation to use them, and under no obligation to be accountable to the suggesters..

As far as recruiting new editors, it's important that prospective editors demonstrate their integrity and ability to handle the job properly because an awful lot of serious damage could be done by one who doesn't have either, which would require multiple editors to fix and clean up after.

This is a big problem when you have a human focus, rather than an automated system that is run by a machine, but only humans can use judgement and editor discretion, a machine can't.

The human touch is what gives the final product any value. There are only two solutions to your problem, recruit more honest editors, or turn off all site suggestions from the public.

 

Crowbar, great numbers of which most of us had no idea.

I agree, the choice is more editors, or closing the listings which in turn would rapidly make the site less relevant. Another option would be to give "trusted" sources the ability to submit listings. IE, as someone submits listings that pass future muster with an editor their ability to submit listings increases. Just a thought, but it may eliminate some of the work and allow editors to be editors rather than "adders" so to speak. Just a random thought, but editors at newspapers aren't the ones doing the actual writing. I half wonder if some of the work burden could be eliminated while still allowing for control by editors.

 

If you think any sites break ODP guidelines you can always raise an issue about it.

Your thoughts on improving ODP are pretty much wasted on the outside you need to be an editor to have a chance at offering change, though things similar to what you mention have been kicked around. But join us and make a difference, crowbar did a good thread on how to do it.

 

promomanagers: Some good ideas, but I kind of disagree with some of what you said: closing submissions wouldn't necessarily make the directory less relevant - most editors find sites from other sources than the submissions, for many different reasons. Submissions are just one source, and, as most editors will tell you, for some categories, far from the best source.

As for the trusted providers, we call them "editors" - not wanting to appear smart of anything, but this is pretty much the case. The bar to getting in as an editor isn't high, when you read the guidelines, and those that are interested usually find themselves getting in easily.

Various schemes have been tried to find trusted providers, and a lot of them have ended with the concensus being "we don't want to try THAT again". Mostly because what ended up filling the directory were a lot of deeplinks that no real editor that understood how the ODP works would have made.

 

Alucard, some of the experience of those I know and trust is contrary to what you say about becoming an editor but that's a story for another time.

All of this is truly local of course in the sense that categories you follow may be actively edited while categories we'd be more interested in have sat dorminant for a few months (at least) in some cases. The editor solution only flies assuming that editor can edit beyond one category which is why I suggested the idea of trusted sources across multiple categories. Points well taken.

As I said offline the perception sometimes may be made worse by posts on these sites regarding entry in the directory or editorships. Like I said starting this it's a tough job and requires an enormous amount of work for mostly volunteers.

 

In the same vein as Alucard referred to trusted sources as editors it is also true that as editors gain experience and are trusted more they are allowed to edit in more categories and indeed many at some point become editalls + and can edit anywhere in the directory. But that does come with trust and experience, we cannot allow anyone just to run amok. So are you up for applying?

 

Personally I think that DMOZ kind of lacks relevant and up to date information in its database. I searched for a particular niche and the results i got, although many in number, were somewhat not satisfying and too old with regards to the date they were published.

It is important to note that the particular niche I am talking about is a fast growing and constantly evolving field. I did a search on squidoo and Voila! A dozen of lenses covering the niche I was searching for popped up.

They also had some additional links pointing to relevant blogs and forums. The was simply the thing I wanted to find. Don't know whether it is good to be listed on DMOZ or not but I sure don't want to search for things there any more.

 

Glad you could find what you were looking for somewhere. Obviously a niche that we need a knowledgeable editor for, fancy giving some of your spare time turbulence?

 

sure, why not!

 

Pick a category in the area you understand, with no more than 75 sites including all sub categories and not less than 15 sites (people may understand the subject but they have to learn editing techniques so start off fairly small and then one can always apply for bigger categories after mastering the basics). Press the "apply to edit this category" button at the bottom of the category page. You will need three sites to add to the category which fit there, you will need to describe them and title them within guidelines http://dmoz.org/guidelines/ (see the way the present category is listed and described) and be honest about the reason for editing and any affiliations.

These might help
http://www.dmoz.org/help/become.html
http://www.resource-zone.com/forum/f...faq_faq_become

Good luck and read on here that many people have to try more than once.

TIME & HEALTH WARNING
ODP editing can become addictive!

 

Anonymously, done - I applied and expect to get rejected.

The category has 222 links but I haven't seen a single ink added or anything changed in as long as I've been watching it. I know the industry well and obviously will be fair and equitable. All I can promise is I'll actively edit the category on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. We'll see how it goes.

Everything was checked and double checked and essentially I used previous listings as a template for the new listings I had to suggest.

 

222 links will almost definitely get rejected as a starting category as too large. I really would suggest that, if you get rejected, you apply to a smaller category. Even if it's the category for the town/city/village where you live.

 

Alucard, someone else already tried that, got rejected twice as was discussed.

The category is not being edited - nothing has changed in weeks that I can see. I'm wiling to work with existing editors to carefully go through the list of waiting sites fairly and equitably.

 

I nor Alucard accept or reject applications, not in our jurisdiction. So read http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showpost.php?p=6348699&postcount=141 which is written by someone who does. We cannot therefore tell you why you or anyone else is rejected and those who do the job will not tell you either in any particular case. We can only repeat the advice we often give about size of category, choosing sites that fit well and show an understanding of the category, reading guidelines so the sites are not sites we don't list ie affiliates, redirects, not unique etc etc, writing a guideline compliant description and title (though i suspect showing that one has some knowledge of how sentences work and show that one can spell is probably a major part rather than simply being guideline compliant) and being honest about why one wants to edit there and being honest about affiliations with sites.
I know jimnoble who wrote the post I quoted and I would believe him when he states the basics of how people are accepted implying that rejected applications do not meet those standards.

Having said that we are not influenced in accepting new editors on if the category is well looked after or not. It is based on the application and the category ie size etc in relation to the person applying.

 

Denied. Instructions indicate to apply for categories with under 50 sites. 222 links as of today...I bet if we check back in six months it will be 222.

Business/Marketing_and_Advertising/Advertising/Promotional_Products/Varied_Merchandise/North_America/United_States/

 

I should add that the first site listed in the category is under construction, has been for as long as I've been looking, the 5th site states "items active soon", another company is listed twice, and probably 20-30% are frame sites for the major online store bots - ie, identical content down to the period. There's a bunch that are now just portals or parked pages like http://www.thecoastalteam.com/

That's the frustrating part, the rules only apply to some and to say it's well represented when it's not really being edited...at least one site has been offline for ages...?