A question about why a Site was removed

Good day all,

Can someone kindly shed a light on why www.ABC.net was removed from the directory after being listed for over 5 years in under:
/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Web_Portals/

Thank you in advance, and please advice on how this can be rectified.

Hardy

We no longer provide status checks.

As Jim has said we are not allowed to give out status of sites on this forum and so I type this not having looked at the site in question.

There are several reasons for removal of a site from the directory, and these are:

1. The site is no longer available
2. The contents of the site have changed since initial listing to make it no longer listable.
3. The site is in the process of being moved to a different category, and has not yet been approved in the new category. This might be due to an internal reorganization of the categories, or because the site contents have changed.
4. The site was initially listed in error.

Actually, if the metas will permit -- your site appears to use our data without the required attributions. That may not be the only reason your site was removed, but it seems adequate.

Alucard said:

There are several reasons for removal of a site from the directory, and these are:

1. The site is no longer available
2. The contents of the site have changed since initial listing to make it no longer listable.
3. The site is in the process of being moved to a different category, and has not yet been approved in the new category. This might be due to an internal reorganization of the categories, or because the site contents have changed.
4. The site was initially listed in error.

Click to expand...

5. The DMOZ guidelines have changed and the site is not listable under these new guidelines.

Thank you all for replaying, but that was no help at all.

jimnoble: I don't think this is a status check, since the site was never submitted again. I thought I would investigate why first.
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Alucard. Than you for your reply, but that is a standard possibility list that I already read else where on the forum and was hoping someone will actually look into the situation.
1 - site has always been available.

2-Content has indeed changed as all sites do through the years, but the concept never did, It is a search portal offering web search results, image search, directory search (dmoz data) and more. Yes it belongs in that category as it always did. Its a better than a lot of the sites listed there.

3- That may be the reason, but I would doubt it because I don't think there is another category that would be considered a better fit for it. But I would be very appreciative if you do look into it and let me know.

4- The site initially listed in error???? for over 5 years. offering exactly what the category says? not possible
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Thank you arubin for your help but not sure if you really looked at the site at all. At the bottom of every single page that uses the directory data here is a copy and paste.:

Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a Site - Open Directory Project - Become an Editor - Previews by Thumbshots

All links are working as required. and the [submit a site] link automatically points to submission in the correct category as well.
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pvgool: thanks for your input.
Not sure if I understand it at all though if you could please shed a little light on why abc.net would not be listable?

I have read a few posts here before I posted myself. a few threads were about people trying to remove their listings from dmoz for one reason or another (mainly google related serps) and the answers I seen from most editors here was that if a site is listed and as long as the site is still up and offers content related to the subject of the category the site can not be delisted. I think abc has all this and more.
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All I'm asking is why would someone arbitrarily remove a site that clearly belongs where it is more than most that are still listed. I came here hoping this is where people get direct help/answers to their questions from editors. I have already read all relevant FAQs and searched the forum before I posted my question knowing how valuable your time is. can anyone give me a direct answer related to my own situation not a standard possibility list that I have no way of investigating myself if things look OK from my perspective.


Thank you all, your time and help is very much appreciated.
Hardy

jimnoble: I don't think this is a status check, since the site was never submitted again. I thought I would investigate why first.

Click to expand...

...was hoping someone will actually look into the situation.

Click to expand...

I came here hoping this is where people get direct help/answers to their questions from editors....can anyone give me a direct answer related to my own situation

Click to expand...

Asking why a site that was listed was removed *is* asking for a check on the status of the site. Which we don't do anymore. So, no, unfortunately, no one can give you a direct answer related to your own situation without violating our rules against doing status checks. I'm afraid we can't help you beyond giving you the information we already have.

>>4- The site initially listed in error???? for over 5 years. offering exactly what the category says? not possible

I wish I could share your faith in the infallibility of ODP editors. But ... I made a mistake once, and once I caught a mistake motsa made, so all my illusions are shattered.

Hi Motsa and thank you for taking the time to read my lengthy message and highlight where you can prove my semantics about status check wrong so you can dismiss me and my question like many others I read on the forum. I do not need a status check of when or if my website will be relisted. I need to understand why my website that seems to conform to all the guidelines and for over 5 years and is listed in the most appropriate category would just be yanked like this without any explanation. After all this is the least that I can ask for form a respectable open community and volunteer driven web directory who join to help make it better. I'm not asking for the moon.
I bet all of you would have exactly the same concerns and the need for a reason as to why your own website was deleted. You know in your heart that I'm not being unreasonable to ask for this. Tell me if I'm wrong in my assumption.

Relevant Quotes FROM: http://dmoz.org/socialcontract.html

3. We Don't Hide Our Official Editorial Policies
5. We Encourage a Self-Regulating Community
We foster a self-regulating community governed by community-driven standards. We encourage the community to regulate itself, and to provide the checks and balances needed to ensure that its members follow mutually accepted codes of conduct and editorial standards. We depend on the honesty and integrity of the volunteer editors to ensure the directory is high quality, user-friendly, and free of abuse.

This is your chance of doing a (checks and balances) to make sure a mistake did not take place. You can do more than just point to a list of guidelines that I am already familiar with and believe that I conform to.
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hi hutcheson Thank you for your input.

I wish I could share your faith in the infallibility of ODP editors

Click to expand...

Though I wish that was the case here, but I really do understand how mistakes can happen and I know this first hand. I have worked on a few websites and directories and do site approvals daily and mistakes can happen. I have had my share of mistakes adding and deleting entries to directories but would be very happy to respond and answers why a site was deleted and if it was a mistake I try and go out of my way to correct it. it would be cruel to make site owner pay for my mistake. (none of the directories that I help administer are paid directories).
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I leave it up to you to judge if this deletion was at all fair. If you are powerless in rectifying this, then you did all you can do and I thank you very much for your valuable time. God belss!

Hardy

Well, a most interesting thread -- with some very selective reading taking place.

You can make all the snide remarks you wish about Motsa, but what you were told is correct: No matter how you choose to word it, you are asking for a status check. We will not give you a status check.

Congratulations on reading the social contract. It was not necessary for you to selectively quote from it, we have all read it many times, and many of us live it, thus we are not bound by your interpretations, or your boldfacing words that you think are important.

I need to understand why my website that seems to conform to all the guidelines and for over 5 years and is listed in the most appropriate category would just be yanked like this without any explanation.

Click to expand...

That is your need. It is not our need or requirment to explain our editorial decisions to you, as that would constitue a status check.

This is your chance of doing a (checks and balances) to make sure a mistake did not take place.

Click to expand...

How do you know that we have already done so? Just because we choose not to share information with you does not mean that we are not capable of doing the right thing, when it is appropriate.

It's probably just a glitch, why don't you wait a couple of weeks and search to see if your site is there.

Hi spectregunner, Thank you for your input. and Thank you all for going far and beyond the call of duty in explaining this.
I couldn't have asked for more (snide indeed, no need to point it out). Not sure who is doing selective reading and who isn't so far.

bobrat Thank you very much for being the only non-dismissive replay so far. Though I have waited for a while (couple of months or more) thinking it might just be a cat move, but this was not the case. yet you did offer a possible explanation and I appreciate that, I would believe that most users would welcome and very much appreciate such reply.

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This was not a request of reinstatement. I never asked anyone to reinstate my link, nor was it a request for a status check. (status check seems like your golden/exit gate of dismissing most legitimate enquiries). I read in your postings all over this forum of being fair and objective yet this is not what I have seen here so far. This is neither fair nor objective.

My request was meant for me not to burden the directory with a new submission before I understand why my existing listing was removed and rectify it. It would not have served anyone if I submitted again without understanding whatever I did wrong in the first place.
I tried to read all I can regarding this before I submitted my question. I have read a few posts where editors actually took the time to investigate what went on and read category logs and provided answers. This is what I was hoping for.

I know and understand that you are not obligated to provide me with exact reasons why the website was removed, yet I couldn't help but to initially think that this community of editors is approachable and I may find a helpful editor who may try and actually look into this.

What I'm getting here is: You were listed, and now you are removed, deal with it! (even if it was a mistake, even if it was an abuse, whatever it was its non of your business this is OUR directory and you have nothing to do about it). this attitude that doesn't in the slightest leave you thinking that this a fair community spirit.

Anyway, Please consider my request for an official answer withdrawn. Because it seems that there is nothing more that can officially be done. (so much for checks and balances)

Yet, I would very much welcome any input form editors and non-editors alike by looking at the site and at the category and listed sites and let me know where I could have gone wrong, or if there is anything that can remotely justify a deletion of the link.

Best Regards,
Hardy

OK, let me be clear. Asking why your site was removed is asking for a status check. Period.

You've been given more information in this thread than you should have been given. I'm closing this thread -- please note that this is not an invitation for you to start a new thread about your site.