Editors have a large influence in what happens in the directory. Many editors write software and tools for the directory. If a response is to be given then someone has to write that into the sites and it would have to be automated because editors have plenty to do already. Remember you are suggesting a site to us and the directory reserves the right not to list any site. Remember too that our primary focus is on those who use the directory. we are not there to promote your site, if that happens fine, but it is not our objective. We also find many sites ourselves, do we have to try and find out whom we write to to tell them they have been listed? Also how much heat and further comments would be required/ We refuse site A. How will the webmaster feel, s/he will want to know why, how much of our time is to be taken up in telling webmasters that they have a spammy site with no unique content and the arguments that will then generate. Will it help if the site waits for 6 months before it is reviewed, some wait longer. ODP does discuss communication and there are many sides to the arguement, perhaps some day it may become a priority for the time, money and effort that will be required and detracted from our task...of providing websites in a usable directory for surfers.
Of all the sites I have submitted to DMOZ all but one have been included just by submitting, trying to follow the rules and forgetting.
Sorry due to the restrictions of this forum, I was unable to put URLs on my posts until now. My website address is http://www.shuttercontractor.com/. While I admit it isn't the greatest site in the world it certainly doesn't consist of any spamming techniques and is not full of advertising. By the way I am not completely dependent on getting this one link for my SEO campaign. I was just trying to figure out why a site that is only 1 year old has a listing and my site that is 5 years old doesn't.
I'll be answering every post in this thread generally. Editing is a very random process for one thing. If I go to a category and see 10 site suggestions sitting there and 3 of them have made an attempt to send an ODP compliant description, and the other 7 are stuffed with a list of keywords and/or sales hype garbage, guess what, the 7 are still going to be sitting there when I move onto the next category. With 40,000-60,000 or more site suggestions available, why should I waste my time screwing with those 7, when the submitters don't care enough to read our Guidelines (on the submission form or in our Help section) and make an attempt to comply. Secondly, we don't judge businesses or compare one to another, that's immaterial, we only judge the content on the site and compare it to the content on existing listings in that category. So "being worthy" is a non issue, it's the information on the site that we're interested in, . Thirdly, there are more site suggestions than we can handle with the current numbers of editors we have, and as we're all volunteers doing this in our "spare time", how much time an editor can devote to it varies from one edit every four months to 100 edits a day (for the real workhorses), but, it is our decision, not yours. Why do you think we keep inviting you to become editors? The sad truth is, most people won't work for free, the way we do, and then they bitch about how much time we spend using our free time. Our motto should be, "Put up, or shut up." but, that probably wouldn't go over too good, . Give you feedback? Are you sh--ing me? We're editors, not advisors. You want us to help you build your websites? You're already bitching about the time it takes to get listed and you want us to spend time on each individual website, advising you? If you can build a website, can I assume that most of you can read and write? Here you go, read this: http://www.dmoz.org/guidelines/ Those are the exact Guidelines we follow, no secrets, no big mystery, no hidden agenda. No need to be led by the hand by any editor, all the advice you could possibly need, all you need to do is apply it to your site in an unbiased way, or hire somebody who can be unbiased. Tell you your site has been rejected and why? For what? What are you going to do about it? You don't know your own topic? You want our advice about what a web surfer would find useful in that category? You really don't know and can't figure it out? Are you sure you should have a website? "I submitted my site last month and it still hasn't been added. There must be something wrong with my site or the damn editor is crooked and has it out for me personally." Are you kidding me? The truth is, there are too many submissions, not enough editors, and most of you make our jobs a lot harder and more time consuming by not following our submission instructions, and then you have the gall to bitch about it, . Let me give you some advice. Read our Guidelines thoroughly, follow the submission instructions, become editors, or be quiet and stop bitching, .
One other thing. We are well aware that many people make their living on the Internet, and are desperate to be found. I don't, but many of our editors are webmasters, or have some other kind of Internet business, so you're preaching to the choir. Unfortunately for you, that has absolutely nothing to do with the goals of the Directory. It's important to you, it's a non issue for us. (as editors) Sorry, but we're not a "listing service" for site owners. As much as you want us to be, it just ain't so, and probably never will be. The best way to help yourselves get listed is do as I've suggested, read the Guidelines and follow instruction to the best of your ability, or become editors and be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. (if you can do it honestly and without bias).
But there are some experienced people on here who will sometimes comment on sites, so, whilst we as editors just might find it difficult for many reasons, its good when knowledgeable ex-editors will comment.
Well, we can look at a site and comment on it, or even give a site status report, if we want to. (as long as we don't reveal any internal information). I try not to do that here or any other place anymore, but that's a personal choice I've made, and not something we're forbidden to do.