Commercial Directories vs DMOZ

I have now submitted my site to commercial directories like BOTW and got accepted while I am waiting since 2 years to get accepted with DMOZ.

My site is also listed on University websites etc.

I was told here that I should follow the guidlines etc. what I did and should wait.

What else can I do beside waiting and following the guidelines to get accepted at DMOZ. How is it possible that my site get accepted everywhere except DMOZ?

abroad said:

What else can I do beside waiting and following the guidelines to get accepted at DMOZ.

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Nothing. Realy nothing at all.

How is it possible that my site get accepted everywhere except DMOZ?

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Because DMOZ is something different than those commercial directories.
In these directories you can ask them to list your site.
In DMOZ you can only suggest a website for review.
Two complete diffferent ways of operating directories that on first sight might look the same but in reality are not.

But suggesting sites in DMOZ is obviously useless. I know at least 4 really good sites which are missing in the category I am interested in and nothing changed there for years (except the date at the bottom). If those editors would have some interest in the categories they are responsible for, why do they not list good sites there (with unique content)? And who tells me that

-Editors are independent
-That there are moderators at all for a specific category
-That moderators are really interested in the category they are responsible for?

I mentioned it already in a previous posting. When I applied for the category to moderate as a volunteer I got immediately a rejection. I was told that I didn't mention all the sites I am affiliated with even though I am only running one single website.

And it seems that many people here have the same problem. Maybe there are some problems how this Diretory is managed?!?

And it seems that many people here have the same problem. Maybe there are some problems how this Diretory is managed?!?

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You can't really make that determination based on posts that you see in this forum. The many people who have been accepted as editors or who have sites listed are rarely going to post here.

So, not really an equal representation of actual results.

yes...but you can also read it in many blogs...submitting to dmoz is useless

Again, you need to look at the source of the information. People who assume that the entire directory is broken because their site has not yet been listed...

abroad said:

But suggesting sites in DMOZ is obviously useless.

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We don't force anybody to suggest a website. It just amuses me that all those people who claim that DMOS is useless stiil suggest their websites and visit all kinds of forums to talk about it.

If those editors would have some interest in the categories they are responsible for, why do they not list good sites there (with unique content)?

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If nothing changes in a category there either is no editor interested in the subject of that category or there are no sites to be listed.

> And who tells me that
> -Editors are independent
Independent of what? If you mean "do they favor their own sites", that is very unlickely as all editors can see what other editors do and abuse is discovered very quickly and corrected,

> -That there are moderators at all for a specific category
There is a group of some 200 to 300 editors that can edit in all categories. This ofcourse does not mean that they will edit in all categories. As you have been told before editors are volunteers who only do the work they themself select to do. If no editor is interested in the subject of a category nothing will be done in such a category except for some automated quality control

> -That moderators are really interested in the category they are responsible for?
No editor is responsible for any category.

And it seems that many people here have the same problem. Maybe there are some problems how this Diretory is managed?!?

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No, the problem is that these people do not want to understand that DMOZ is not the tool they want it to be. We try to educate them. Most of the time without result.

"Useful" -- "useless" are global concepts, but the reality is personal. What _I_ use (repeatedly) may not be what _you'd_ EVER use (and vice versa). Statistically, it is absolutely true that for MOST people, suggesting a site is "useless" -- it's not something they'd gain benefit from doing repeatedly. Think about it.
-- Most surfers don't hunt up lots of sites to suggest.
-- Most people who have an honest website, have one website, and once they suggest it once, they've extracted all the use from the ODP that there is.
-- And who's left? a TINY handful of professional web developers who create sites for other people who own their own businesses but don't want to build their own website: these people MIGHT suggest each website they build, on behalf of the business owner who commissioned it. For this tiny group, the ODP might conceivably be "useful".
--Oh, yes, then there are the large number of affiliate/doorway spammers who constantly churn out new ad-banner-farm sites, but who cannot and will not EVER create even ONE listable site. These are the same folk who fill the net's SEO blogs and forums with babble about what serves their exclusively-greedily-mercenary self-interest. (Hint: the ODP doesn't serve them. And that's a good thing for every honest person.)

So I'm not inclined to worry too much about whether any particular person finds any particular website "useful" or not. I use what benefits me, and that's less than one in a million of the world's websites. Every other surfer uses what benefits him, and ... that's a DIFFERENT one of each million websites. If I find craigslist useless (and I do) I don't visit it. No criticism of either me or Craig is involved. If you find Project Gutenberg useless, that doesn't say anything (good or bad) about either you or Michael.

So why would the ODP be any different? Some people like to build it, some people find it useful. And everyone else ... has another 100 million sites to try to find some use in.

well,i don't have a link farm and I only run 1 single website as a hobby. I applied to become a volunteer editor 5 min ago for this specific category as I think there are important sites missing but I suppose I will be rejected anyway.

Thank you all for your help.

I suppose I will be rejected anyway.

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As long as you did your best to complete the form honestly and carefully, following the instructions and all the excellent advice provided here, there is no reason why you would not be successful - many others are, every day.

I think there are important sites missing

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There are many hundreds of thousands of worthwhile sites yet to be added to the directory by volunteers, which is why we encourage people to join. While you are waiting for someone to review your application, perhaps you would like to suggest some good sites to the correct category, to make it easier for editors to find them. If you become an editor, you will be able to review them yourself, as well as searching for others to add. That's what we do.

Last time I applied as an editor I was told that I didn't mention all sites I am affiliate with but I really don't know which they are...

There are many useful threads here on this topic, and you will also find the following section of the guidelines helpful: http://www.dmoz.org/guidelines/conflict.html

Affiliations are generally any website in which you have a direct personal or professional association. You should disclose the following types of affiliations.

Sites you've built, coded or designed; or assisted in any of these activities.
Sites for which you've authored content.
If content is syndicated, include original URL.
If you've authored articles for a larger community site (e.g. Wikipedia), include a few URL(s) to specific page(s).
Sites you own or have owned, including personal and business homepages.
Sites you've managed personally or professionally (e.g., performed webmaster responsibilities).
Sites you've marketed, promoted or optimized as a function of your employment, business or on someone else's behalf.
Sites for organizations which you are actively involved in promoting a web presence.

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makrhod said:

There are many useful threads here on this topic, and you will also find the following section of the guidelines helpful: http://www.dmoz.org/guidelines/conflict.html

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Got a rejection already as expected.

We spend a lot of time trying to help people prepare an acceptable application if they are initially unsuccessful, but unfortunately our efforts are not always successful. Editing is not for everyone.

I got this answer:

"Unfortunately despite repeated reminders about the need to be honest, and explanations about what is required, you have still failed to list all the sites which you own, promote etc.
It is essential that editors are honest and unbiased, but it seems that your goals do not match those of the directory, so please do not re-apply."

I just don't know which other sites I should list in the application. I only run 1 single site. The others I had in the past are not online anymore and I don't work for any other website...strange?!?

I just don't know which other sites I should list in the application. I only run 1 single site. The others I had in the past are not online anymore and I don't work for any other website...strange?!?

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Did you list the ones that you had in the past? If you read the Guidelines that makrhod posted above, it says "Sites you've" not "Site you are currently."

Hmmm...maybe that's the problem. I remember 1 site which I had many years ago and didn't mention it. But now it is anyway too late as they said that I should not apply anymore

I think there are important sites missing

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I don't think you'll get much argument there. In my own small little corner of the ODP there are nearly 200 sites in the que waiting review. I'll get to them eventually ... or someone higher up the chain will get to them before me. I also find new sites on my own, several every week, and add them to the que myself ... or list them immediately if have the time to do a review on the spot.

All in all, there are, as mentioned already, literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions of worthwhile sites yet to be "discovered" and listed in the ODP.

Long queues...hmm...I wanted to volunteer but unfortunately it didn't work out. I think I forgot to mention my first "Hello World" website which I made years ago and which is not online anymore. Anyway...good luck with your Directory

For anyone reading this thread who is now anxious that a long-defunct, long-forgotten site of theirs is going to result in rejection - please have more faith in the experienced volunteers who review applications.
The fact that someone fails to mention such sites is not going to be a major factor. We are interested in the overall application, and the willingness of the applicant to be careful and honest with their answers.

In addition, if they have received feedback from one or more reviewers already, we look for efforts to comply with that advice, as the ability to accept guidance and suggestions from more experienced editors is one of the foundations of successful participation in the project.