I was doing research this other day and after many repeated searches I only got "The page cannot be displayed". I still get that and cannot search. is it something wrong with dmoz search ? If this is a spam filter it is really a way to sensitive one as I like to search a lot at once when I do research, then read the searches after. Any idea about this ?
cannot search
- Thread starter tygg
- Start date
It is extremely likely that (1) your "research" approach is considered antisocial, and (2) you are so completely misunderstanding both the ODP and itself that you are churning results unnecessarily.
Rather than machine-gun searches, you should learn how to use the categories, and the links between them, to get a grasp of the totality of information the directory presents on a subject. The ODP search itself, restricted as it is to words contained in the URL-title-description, is unlikely to give a fair impression of the wealth of material available. After it points you to the right categories, it's time to switch over into "browse" mode, which obviously doesn't stress the servers so much.
Yet another alternative is the Google "directory search", which is neither so resource-constrained, nor is it so keyword-constrained.
One final possibility: if the purpose of the research is to learn how manipulate ODP search results, then the activity, besides being maliciously antisocial, is futile in two different ways: (1) the order of search results is an arbitrary random order, not any manipulable "page relevance" calculation, therefore even editors cannot affect it, and (2) the ODP site search is not that heavily used by surfers (most of whom are better served by, say, Google directory search): therefore result order really won't affect a site's visitor statistics. In this case, one would be well advised to focus research elsewhere.
Rather than machine-gun searches, you should learn how to use the categories, and the links between them, to get a grasp of the totality of information the directory presents on a subject. The ODP search itself, restricted as it is to words contained in the URL-title-description, is unlikely to give a fair impression of the wealth of material available. After it points you to the right categories, it's time to switch over into "browse" mode, which obviously doesn't stress the servers so much.
Yet another alternative is the Google "directory search", which is neither so resource-constrained, nor is it so keyword-constrained.
One final possibility: if the purpose of the research is to learn how manipulate ODP search results, then the activity, besides being maliciously antisocial, is futile in two different ways: (1) the order of search results is an arbitrary random order, not any manipulable "page relevance" calculation, therefore even editors cannot affect it, and (2) the ODP site search is not that heavily used by surfers (most of whom are better served by, say, Google directory search): therefore result order really won't affect a site's visitor statistics. In this case, one would be well advised to focus research elsewhere.
You are not very constructive if you always or automaticly have the approach that people who search a lot are doing "antisocial" searches.
Imagine for a moment that I know that my searches are good for the way I search, gives me the results I need quickly and that I dont want to go to google witch not always has the newest updates. Imagine also that my searches are not hostile and done by hand, not machines, and that extracts from the searches in the worlds biggest and best directory are used for "investigations" or news articles or another legitimate reason.
Then ODP is not for me ?
And please, if this is a ban of my IP or something, can someone tell me how to release it ?
Imagine for a moment that I know that my searches are good for the way I search, gives me the results I need quickly and that I dont want to go to google witch not always has the newest updates. Imagine also that my searches are not hostile and done by hand, not machines, and that extracts from the searches in the worlds biggest and best directory are used for "investigations" or news articles or another legitimate reason.
Then ODP is not for me ?
And please, if this is a ban of my IP or something, can someone tell me how to release it ?
Yes, this should DEFINITELY suggest that you fall WELL outside the spectrum of users for which the ODP provides the site search feature.
If such a ban exists, based on your activity as described, and you propose to CONTINUE that activity, ... what, logically, does that imply about WHETHER the ban should be released?
There are other, less malicious, ways of using ODP data for "legitimate" purposes. (BTW, the notion of using machine-gun ODP searches for "news articles" is, to put it bluntly, incredibly ludicrous -- or perhaps "ludicrously incredible"). I'd recommend "researching" those OTHER ways of accessing ODP data.
Again, the RDF is available for download: if you're doing that much "research", the socially acceptable approach is to download the data once, and do whatever CPU-intensive operations you wish, on your own CPU. One process-hog can significantly degrade the ODP service for LOTS of typical users. (But this is nothing specific to the ODP -- being a process-hog on ANY resource-constrained system is universally regarded as a form of extreme discourtesy: "wanton disregard for fellow users.")
If such a ban exists, based on your activity as described, and you propose to CONTINUE that activity, ... what, logically, does that imply about WHETHER the ban should be released?
There are other, less malicious, ways of using ODP data for "legitimate" purposes. (BTW, the notion of using machine-gun ODP searches for "news articles" is, to put it bluntly, incredibly ludicrous -- or perhaps "ludicrously incredible"). I'd recommend "researching" those OTHER ways of accessing ODP data.
Again, the RDF is available for download: if you're doing that much "research", the socially acceptable approach is to download the data once, and do whatever CPU-intensive operations you wish, on your own CPU. One process-hog can significantly degrade the ODP service for LOTS of typical users. (But this is nothing specific to the ODP -- being a process-hog on ANY resource-constrained system is universally regarded as a form of extreme discourtesy: "wanton disregard for fellow users.")
spectregunner
Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2003
- Messages
- 8,768
This suggests to me that perhaps ODP searches are not the best tool you could be using.
Contrary to popular belief, search does not reflect the content of the directory on anything even vaguely resembling a real time basis. Search is usually one to two weeks behind, and is occasionally more than a month behind.
It many ways it is less a tool for the outside public to find sites or content, than it is for editors to identify categories and subcategories that may not be familiar with.
One reason to lift the ban after a while is that when internet connection changes IP the new user of my old IP will be banned.
Also to hutcheson, I believe that quick search for lets say 15 terms should not be considered "machine-gun" searching.
spectregunner, to download the ODP data is a very good suggestion, I just dont know how to do it and to use that data, but I can learn. Thanks for a constructive advice, opposite to hutcheson that really just want to act like ODPs big strict daddy. (and yes, I read some of his other posts also)
Also to hutcheson, I believe that quick search for lets say 15 terms should not be considered "machine-gun" searching.
spectregunner, to download the ODP data is a very good suggestion, I just dont know how to do it and to use that data, but I can learn. Thanks for a constructive advice, opposite to hutcheson that really just want to act like ODPs big strict daddy. (and yes, I read some of his other posts also)
I wonder why you are a moderator here if you cant be more constructive than this.
Let me tell how I search:
If I search for "streaming audio":
I open OPD, write in search "streaming audio" get the results, dont read, open a new window (cntr +n), search for streaming audio without the "". open new window, search for "audio streams", open new woidow, search for music stream...
And so on, when I used all my search words, I start to read all the results and are picking out the ones that fit my needs.
Its a well known fact that it is more effective to do one thing many times instead of changing tasks all the time.
This is a method that among others Henry Ford had great succes using making T-Fords : )
Luckily I found a way to change my IP, so I dont have to worry again. Just a pitty for the next guy getting my old IP.
Let me tell how I search:
If I search for "streaming audio":
I open OPD, write in search "streaming audio" get the results, dont read, open a new window (cntr +n), search for streaming audio without the "". open new window, search for "audio streams", open new woidow, search for music stream...
And so on, when I used all my search words, I start to read all the results and are picking out the ones that fit my needs.
Its a well known fact that it is more effective to do one thing many times instead of changing tasks all the time.
This is a method that among others Henry Ford had great succes using making T-Fords : )
Luckily I found a way to change my IP, so I dont have to worry again. Just a pitty for the next guy getting my old IP.
But if your searching methods caused your IP to be banned and you continue using those same searching methods, you're just going to keep getting your IP banned, aren't you? Wouldn't it be better to change the way you search? To me, it seems like a very bizarre way to search.
Yes, it could certainly look like a bizzare way to search if you dont have the experience in doing it that way, but it is very effective for research.
I dont know how somebody could abuse ODP as everything is open, but I certainly support the fight against machine based searches and so on. But thats an other story.
My point is that the rules are to strict for repeated searches (that is if I am banned because of my search manners, I dont know that for shure).
I understand the need for ODP to protect them against some kind of abuse or whatever, but as long I cant do 15-20 "machine-gun" searches without being banned I will continue it as it is to strict.
I dont know how somebody could abuse ODP as everything is open, but I certainly support the fight against machine based searches and so on. But thats an other story.
My point is that the rules are to strict for repeated searches (that is if I am banned because of my search manners, I dont know that for shure).
I understand the need for ODP to protect them against some kind of abuse or whatever, but as long I cant do 15-20 "machine-gun" searches without being banned I will continue it as it is to strict.
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2002
- Messages
- 10,093
OK. This is not the way to search in a directory.tygg said:
The search in DMOZ should be used as follow
- search for xxxxxxxxxx
- look at the list of categories (forget about the sites found they are not relevant enough)
- open the category that most fits your search
- look at the sites in that category (most of them didn't show on the search)
- look at subcategories and related categories in the same way
gloria
Curlie Meta
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2002
- Messages
- 388
If you are being banned, it is because you are negatively impacting others, such as slowing things down or getting things so slow that others can't search. The limits aren't arbitrarily made, they are there for a reason.
ODP is open content, which means that others can download the rdf and use the information within the terms of the license. It doesn't mean that someone can slow down or disable servers that others are using.