Bribes Anyone?

I

InvisionCube

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Apr 2, 2006
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While I'm in ODP learning mode, I just have to ask, have any of the Editors ever been offered (and of course declined) a bribe and, if so, are they willing to reveal how much it was for, or what was offered? Obviously without any specifics...

And no, I'm not trying to work out where to set my pitch at. I'm too much of a tight-fisted old swine. :)
 
spectregunner

spectregunner

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The entire topics of bribes is significantly offensive to most editors.

I doubt you will find any who wish to discuss the specifics.
 
I

InvisionCube

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Eeep! The last thing I wanted. I was just curious as to how desperate people have got in the past, as in "I'll give you three goats and a shiny pebble....."

Sorry for any offence caused.
 
H

hutcheson

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People get pretty desperate sometimes. But -- and this is the critical point -- I think I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of LISTABLE sites whose webmasters got really desperate. You see, honest people really just DON'T make plans dependent on their ability to manipulate or coerce volunteers to do their bidding. If they are volunteers, they understand the volunteer mentality; if they are businessmen, they understand how to find people who offer the services they need; if they are communities, they HAVE their target audience already.

No, it's only the doorway/ dropship/ lead-generator/ adsense/ affiliate spammers who are so deathly afraid that somewhere, somehow, some shopper is finding actual, authoritative information about people who actually provide goods and services.

And for those spammers, the ODP seems to be #2 on their hate list (just after Google but above Yahoo and MSN). That's a signal honor, considering the power of the Yahoo brand, and the number of captive users MSN has.
 
J

jdaw1

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Nov 4, 2005
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Once, that being several years ago, I received an email offering some sort of pay for 'helping'. The pay wasn't specified (alas!), nor were the tasks, and it was forwarded to the higher-ups at the ODP. What they did with it I know not.
 
H

hutcheson

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It's better not to talk about exactly what might get done to whom. The trial is as fair as we can make it. But the response is driven by one motive alone -- dissuasion of future bribery attempts. And that dissuasion is as strong as is in our power.
 
B

birdie

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The details given in this post have been deleted to avoid tipping off the people birdie dropped the dime on.
-- brmehlman
 
B

brmehlman

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Hmmm ...

This message was sent via two or more anonymous remailing services.
Click to expand...
I wonder if it started in Nigeria?

Thanks for pointing it out though. Probably a scam, but the small chance of it being for real makes it worth investigating.
 
B

birdie

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You have to feel sorry for those that fall for it as they beleive all the scuttlebutt in SEO forums about having to pay to get in.
 
Eric-the-Bun

Eric-the-Bun

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Apr 16, 2005
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There are only 2 reasons I can see to get a link in a directory (or anywhere):

1) to get a backlink
2) to get traffic

If you want backlinks, then an ODP backlink is just the same as any other and you can spend your $x at yahoo and many other pay-for-entry directories quite easily and without the angst.

If you expect traffic from the ODP, then ,boy, is your business in trouble...
Any money would be better spent on Adwords or a similar advertising campaign.
 
P

peterpil19

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Nov 22, 2005
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Good point!

Why pay for a bribe (please don't take that to mean any DMOZ editor would accept one!) when you can pay for a listing elsewhere?

A DMOZ listing in my opinion has prestige. Having your site submitted and added successfully, means that someone with very high standards thinks your site is worth being listed.

Without sounding like sucking up, high standards are good because they drive webmasters to review the quality and content of their sites if they get rejected.

--Peter
 
H

hutcheson

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What a webmaster cares about shows ... by what he already does even when an ODP reviewer is NOT watching.
 
P

pspdownloads

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Feb 26, 2006
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ODP is such a respected directory that some web masters may think of bribing,
but i think it is not possible as ODP is well known for its integrity.
those who cant get into ODP may simply try other directories.
 
S

shabda

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Feb 17, 2006
Messages
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"A DMOZ listing in my opinion has prestige. Having your site submitted and added successfully, means that someone with very high standards thinks your site is worth being listed."
Not to say of a HUGE increase in PR and google ranking and corresponding increase in business.

"Why pay for a bribe (please don't take that to mean any DMOZ editor would accept one!) when you can pay for a listing elsewhere?"
With second tier directories like .......... taking something like hundereds of $ web masters would be crazy to pay bribes. Seriously do not let web msters know that bribes are ofered. They would keep pestering even if 99.99% of people declined.
 
spectregunner

spectregunner

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It is completely without merit, created by a corrupt webmaster who was frustrated that he could not bend us to his will, and decided to try and destroy our efforts.

Don't belive me?

See if you can independently verify any of the claims.
 
bobrat

bobrat

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Apr 15, 2003
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11,061
There are many, many more like this. It show the frustration of blackhat SEO's who cannot manipulate DMOZ contents to their whims, and have to resort to underhanded tactics like creating sites like this.

I've also seen people posing as real DMOZ editors in forums and claiming they take bribes, people posting editor accounts for sale on eBay, making entries in DIGG. etc.

The more of these I see, (though frustrating, since it's giving out false info) the more I'm convinced that the bribery problem is in fact pretty minimal.
 
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