Can't figure out how come our site is not listed

Dear Staff,

For over a year, we are trying to get listed in your directory. We followed every recommendation you've suggested. We even hired a professional team to help testing, and to try and understand why is it, that we - a totally free site, very professional, with over 50.000 members in our community, won't be listed.

We made sure for carefully that it was submitted to the right category.
We don't have any broken links.

There is absolutely no reason what so ever that we can come with - how come <url removed> is not listed.

In the category we're trying to get listed, there are many sites with broken links, empty web pages, and very low quality urls that are listed.
Our site is well known, and is listed in every major directory except yours.

Please shed some light on the subject.

Sincerely,

Jonathan

If a site is the sort of site that we list, the usual reason why it isn't is because nobody has got around to evaluating it yet.

This is a volunteer organisation. Editors work where, when and as much as they wish. Nobody sets priorities and nobody tells them what to do. This leads to uncontrolled and unpredictable time scales.

Our objective is to build a directory, not to provide a listing service to website owners. My best advice is to stop suggesting your website, because it can be counter-productive, and concentrate on other means of promoting it. If an ODP listing is going to happen, it'll happen when it happens.

Hi,

Thanks for the answer.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the whole purpose of a directory to provide valid information about online services?
With that being said, "It'll happen when it happens." kind of bits the purpose.

The whole idea of a directory is to recommend relevant sites that are useful for users, and if it takes an editor more than a year to update his zone, then maybe he should give that job to someone who cares.

We offered our help to manage some of the categories, and we were told that those categories have enough editors.

Anyways, I don't think it is right to gain a responsibility and to neglect it.

Jonathan

We offered our help to manage some of the categories..

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I'm a tad concerned at your use of the we and our words. Editor accounts belong to individuals, not organisations.

..we were told that those categories have enough editors.

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It sounds as though you received an email that contained We would encourage you to re-apply for a category that has fewer editors or is smaller in scope Many people don't read beyond the first phrase and miss the second - which means that the category is too large.

I don't think it is right to gain a responsibility and to neglect it

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It's a hobby, not a paying job. An editor doesn't have squatters rights in a category, preventing other editors from working there. Hundreds of us can and do edit in any category that we choose. Please note the choose word.

Hi Jonathan,

As my esteemed colleague, jimnoble states It's a hobby, not a paying job. An editor doesn't have squatters rights in a category, preventing other editors from working there. Hundreds of us can and do edit in any category that we choose. Please note the "choose" word.


If you have an altruistic tendency and would personally like to edit a category, I encourage you to pick a small category and apply to edit it. There are many reasons a site is not listed from content to the site being submitted to the wrong initial category. For example, many local real estate agents used to submit to top level Business/Real_Estate. This lead to a huge backlog, as every real estate agent in the world wanted to be listed in the top level category, despite the fact their site was not suitable for that category. The sites are eventually forwarded to the correct locality categories but that takes time. Meanwhile, the person that submits to the correct category from the start normally finds their site listed much sooner.

We wish you the best of luck in getting your site in the directory. It is our goal to be the best directory on the Internet.

'Belle

Hi Belle ,

Thank you for your kind response.

It is somehow frustrating to see so many links in the category that are broken, or just show ridiculous geocity pages etc. And on the other hand, you have a site that is very much so belong to that category, and it doesn't get listed.

I think that it is sad, and seems as there are some personal agendas involved in the non listing of our site.


"It is our goal to be the best directory on the Internet."
If any of you have any logical explanation, or can even take this further and check the real reason why our site is not listed, It will help us a lot, and more then that, it will help shed some light on this matter, and with that, improving dmoz directory.

Sincerely,

Jonathan

I think that it is sad, and seems as there are some personal agendas involved in the non listing of our site.

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Why would that indicate that there's a personal agenda involved? I think the state of the rest of the category should tell you that the most likely reason your site hasn't been added is simply that no one has chosen to edit in the category recently.

...or can even take this further and check the real reason why our site is not listed,

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I'm sorry but that would amount to giving you a status check and we no longer do that here.

It is somehow frustrating to see so many links in the category that are broken, or just show ridiculous geocity pages etc. And on the other hand, you have a site that is very much so belong to that category, and it doesn't get listed.

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If you discover broken links or bad content, you are welcome to report that fact to the thread we specifically have for that purpose, and we always appreciate the extra set of eyes.

It is also how you can move from the "complainer" column into the "helper" column.

or just show ridiculous geocity pages

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Just because a site is not professional developed/coded/maintained, does not mean that it does not have useful content. Some of the ugliest sites in the world have some of the best unique content.

spectregunner said:

It is also how you can move from the "complainer" column into the "helper" column.

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It seems that you have too many of us "complainers", and maybe it's about time that you guys start "helping" them. Instead of giving "by the book answers" and justify the non action on your part.

spectregunner said:

Just because a site is not professional developed/coded/maintained, does not mean that it does not have useful content. Some of the ugliest sites in the world have some of the best unique content.

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I suggest you take a deeper look at those sites that you are so quick to comment back about, before you offer an opinion. I wasn't downgrading anyone because he doesn't have a professional site, but when you have a site that says "hi welcome to my acting page" and there is nothing else there... It really doesn't have any business to be listed in this category. Anyway, you get the point.

I think it is clear at this point that dmoz is far of being the best directory out there. It is lacking user support, feedbacks, and submission reports.

I would not continue submitting, nor begging for help at this matter. I asked nicely more than once. And now it is something for you to solve, or to ignore, like probably any other concern in this forum.

Thanks, and goodbye.

davigdori said:

I would not continue submitting, nor begging for help at this matter. I asked nicely more than once. And now it is something for you to solve, or to ignore, like probably any other concern in this forum.

Thanks, and goodbye.

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The purpose of these forums is not to provide an expedited listing for the posters. The advice you have received in this thread is right on. Editors are volunteers and work in the areas/categories that interest them. The ODP does not put demands on where/when they edit - nor should it.

If you see a category(s) that have broken links, inappropriate content, etc., reporting them in the proper thread will give an editor a heads up to look at the category. Who knows, maybe they will work on some of the waiting unreviewed sites while they are there. Following the guidelines for titles and descriptions is always a plus.

Like is repeated time and time again - just submit and forget. This is not a problem to be solved nor to be ignored.